Genealogical Gems

Joseph A. Skrabalak, 91, passed away peacefully on 14 January 2006 in Winter Garden, Fla. He was a long time owner of the Cabin Restaurant. He later worked for the City of Binghamton Parks Department. He moved to Florida two years ago to be near his son and family. He was predeceased by his wife, Margaret Lasky Skrabalak, three brothers and one sister. He is survived by his loving son, David and daughter-in-law Kathleen; grandchildren, Jacqueline and Art May, Joseph A. Skrabalak II and wife Christine; and six great-grandchildren, all of Florida; brother, Stanley Skrabalak , Endicott; sisters, Helen Svarney, Josephine Waska of Arizona; and several nieces and nephews. He was a long time parishioner of St. Stanislaus Church. Memorial services will be held for the family in Winter Garden, Florida. Please make any remembrances to a charity of your choice.                     ...

Thursday, I had the day off from the Nursery so instead of housework or other work, I naturally headed to the Lancaster County Historical Society. First I looked up an obituary for Sue Fuller Graham for someone else. Piece of cake! Facebook is really great for making connections in places one has no access to and this was just that case. A guy mentioned in a group that he was looking for this particular obituary from 1991. It is old enough that the local paper here would only give access if you have a paid subscription. I mentioned I was heading over to the Historical Society this week and could look it up on their microfilm. He knew the exact date that the obit was published so that made the search quick and easy. My next project was admittedly a brick wall. I was asked to find out information about a Laura Manley Seats. The person making the request knows little about the woman except that she passed away sometime around 1961 due to complications after an operation. Needle in ...

I have one - only one - Twitter account. It is @jeanne_eckman . Since I only have one, I found it most helpful to create a few lists, genealogy being one of them . At the moment there are 56 included on my particular list. Some I follow and some I only include on my list. Some are organizations, like the Lancaster Historical Society; some are companies, like Ancestry.com; and some are other genealogists, and historians. Can you check out my list? Of course you can! You can even "subscribe" to it. How you ask? Simple! First, go to https://twitter.com/jeanne_eckman . That's me! Then click on "More". A drop drown list will appear. Click on "Lists". A list of lists will then appear. As you can see, I have a few different lists. Click on the one for Genealogy and simply "subscribe"! A list is a great way to organize everyone. You can have someone in more than one list as well. Want to start your own list? On the far right, see whe...

The Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County announced that it will collaborate with Manbel Devco to document the buildings and history of the Mayer-Hess Farmstead (c. 1870-1874) at 1580 Fruitville Pike. The farmstead is across the street from the 71 acres that has been approved by Manheim Township for the Shoppes at Belmont. The farmstead’s mansion and surrounding area have been separated from the development and will be protected. “While we have had concerns about this property for many years, we are pleased to know that developer Phil Frey and his team are conscientious about saving the mansion and carefully documenting those buildings that are being saved but in a new location,” said Lisa Horst, president of the Preservation Trust Board of Directors. “We were hoping all buildings would remain on the farmstead. That could have been a possibility many years ago before Fruitville Pike became a commercial area so we agree that relocating the barn and other build...

US Army First Lieutenant Alonzo Hersford Cushing will be awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry in action at the battle of Gettysburg on 3 July 1863, announced the White House yesterday. President Obama will present the award posthumously next month.   First Lieutenant Alonzo H. Cushing will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions while serving as commanding officer of Battery A, 4th United States Artillery, Artillery Brigade, 2nd Corps, Army of the Potomac. Cushing distinguished himself during combat operations against an armed enemy in the vicinity of Cemetery Ridge, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on 3 July 1863. First Lieutenant Cushing was killed in action on 3 July 1863, at the age of 22.  On that day, the third day of the battle, in the face of Longstreet’s Assault, also known as Pickett’s Charge, First Lieutenant Cushing’s battery took a severe pounding by Confederate artillery.  As the rebel infantry advanced, he manned the o...

  IBAH BAPAHИK   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.

A friend recently received some information and included in it was an envelope addressed to a Mr. Adolf Medeksza in Philadelphia, PA in America. So who was he? I quickly found (with the help of Ancestry.com of course) seven year old Adolf on the SS Haverford arriving in Philadelphia on 30 September 1907 with his mom and two siblings. Adolf was born approximately 1900 in Tzawb, Russia, although they list their ethnicity as Polish. His mother is Anna. She is 26 years old at the time. His brother Alen is five. He also has another sibling who is only a couple months old. The handwriting is difficult to read but Ancestry.com identifies him as Kazimer. The passenger list notes who they left behind and that person is identified as Anna's father! I cannot read the first name but his last name is Hatusky. The 1910 Philadelphia census reveals young Adolf, who is now 11 according to the census, is a junior. Adolf Sr., who the letter mentioned in the beginning was addr...

James A. Skrabalak, 61, of Chipley, Florida, formerly of Binghamton, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, 24 October 2007, in Pensacola, Florida, after a brief illness. Jim was predeceased by his parents, John and Loretta Skrabalak. He is survived by his wife, Irene Skrabalak, Chipley, Fla.; one brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Danielle Skrabalak, Binghamton; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Donna and Melvin Burr, Binghamton, Patricia Markle, Johnson City; an uncle, Stanley Skrabalak , Endicott; two aunts, Helen Svarney, Johnson City, Josephine Wasko, Mesa, Arizona; several cousins, nieces and nephews.   Jim was a graduate of Binghamton Central High School and worked in the family business, "Scratchy's Highway Tavern," while living in Binghamton. He proudly served his country, completing a tour of duty in Vietnam and retiring from the US Navy in 1993. He was a member of AMVET Post 007 in Chipley, Fla., and F&AM AJ Russell Lodge in Jacksonville, Fla. Jim ...

Historic Huguenot Street will remember the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of 1572 this weekend. On 24 August 1572, over 2,000 Protestants were slain in the city of Paris during what is now known as the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre. Public programming is planned to provide guests with a historic look back at the event and its effect on the future of the Huguenots in France. A series of two educational and touching vignettes will be performed today at the DuBois Fort at noon and 4 p.m. Inspired by Giacomo Meyerbeer’s grand opera Les Huguenots (1836) and John Everett Millais’ pre-Raphaelite painting “A Huguenot, on St. Bartholomew’s Day, Refusing to Shield Himself from Danger by Wearing the Roman Catholic Badge” (1852), the vignettes will depict the circumstances of two star crossed lovers on the eve of the massacre. These performances are free and open to the public. Throughout the weekend, the daily interpretation of the Crispell Memorial French Church will be updat...

The National Archives is a great resource but often a trip to Washington, DC is just not feasible. In October, the National Archives will hold its 2014 Virtual Genealogy Fair via You Tube. The Virtual Genealogy Fair will start at 10 a.m. ET daily on 28-30 October. This live broadcast will offer the opportunity for virtual attendees to ask questions at the end of the various talks. The lectures will feature tips and techniques for using Federal records at the National Archives. There will be different level lectures from beginner to expert. The schedule has not yet been formalized.

Twenty sites with ties to Lancaster’s industrial and commercial past have been identified for the 2014 Historic Walk + Talk Tour on Saturday, October 18, in downtown Lancaster. The tour is a joint effort of the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County and Moxie House, publisher of Fig Lancaster. “The focus of the tour is on buildings that contributed to Lancaster’s economic growth in the 19th century,” said Lisa Horst, president of the Historic Preservation Trust Board of Directors. “The tour route includes where the city’s railroad station once stood on North Queen Street and where the tracks ran along North Prince Street past what used to be tobacco warehouses – buildings that have been restored for use as offices, residences, restaurants and hotels. The Preservation Trust encourages adaptive reuse, and we are pleased to showcase on the tour excellent examples of this.”   Sites on the tour are: Sehner-Ellicott-von Hess House (1787) – 123 North Prince St...

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.  

Life is like a flower. It grows more beautiful the more you care for it. ~ K.C. Rogers

  Keating   Edward b 30 March 1917 d 7 October 2001 Pauline b 5 July 1917 d 14 December 2000 buried at St Ann's Cemetery, Phoenixville, Chester County, PA   photo from "Mike O" at Find A Grave   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.

Stanley Robert Skrabalak, 91, formerly of Johnson City, passed away with his family by his side at Wilson Memorial Hospital, on Wednesday, March 3, 2010. Stanley was predeceased by his wife, Helen , in 2002. He is survived by his children, Duane Skrabalak , Binghamton, Dr. Dale Skrabalak and his wife, Linda, Endicott, Darlene (Kendrot) and husband, Jon, Raleigh, NC. He also leaves his grandchildren, Dr. Heather Gifford and husband, Andrew, Baltimore, MD, Nickolas Skrabalak and wife, Lauren, Charlotte, NC and Ashley Kendrot, Raleigh, NC; as well as his great-grandchildren, Alayna Gifford, Jocelyn Gifford and (due in June 2010) Maxton Gifford. He is also survived by two sisters, Helen and Josephine, both of Phoenix, AZ. Stanley had battled Parkinson's Disease and it's complications for nearly 40 years. A member of the famed 45th Thunderbird Division and a veteran of the Sicily, Salerno and Southern France invasions, Stanley was awarded the Bronze Star medal for "meritor...

Sorting Saturday may have turned into an all day event here! I got up early (3:30 a.m.) with a rather large To Do list and I really have made some good progress already. (It's 8 a.m. btw) This photo at right is just my card table. My desk is organized but covered in several projects. My bookshelf itself is organized however the bottom shelf (the oversized one where I can shove  bunch of stuff out of the way!) is screaming for attention. My file cabinets/boxes had piles on them that need sorted. My printer is covered in paperwork for church (check off Sisterhood minutes and agenda off that To Do list!). My trash is overflowing. I went to a book sale yesterday with the girls and of course now I need to devour the books. One I already put up on eBay - Law book: 1952 Handcover Manual for Police and Constables in Pennsylvania . I found it on Amazon for $65. Needless to say, I do not have it listed at that price. The copy I have has an name/address stamped into the book. The name...

The National Archives will present a research and genealogy program on Wednesday, 27 August on using the online resources of the Archives. The session is titled: Genealogy Using Online Resources of the National Archives. Attendees will learn how to navigate archives.gov for your family history research with archives specialist Nancy Wing The 11 a.m. program is free and open to the public. It will be held in the National Archives Building Research Center (Room G-25), in Washington, DC. Attendees should use the Pennsylvania Avenue entrance, between 7th and 9th Streets, NW. Metro accessible on the Yellow and Green lines, Archives/Navy Memorial/Penn Quarter station. The National Archives Building and the National Archives at College Park are fully accessible. To request an accommodation (e.g., sign language interpreter) for a public program, please email public.program@nara.gov or call 202-357-5000 prior to the event. To verify the date and times of the progra...

  Eighth Grade 1982-83 Coatesville Area Catholic Elementary School Coatesville, PA   Top Row: Kim Karmilowicz, Marty McDonald, Ms Hicks, Mona Clark Second Row: Ben Walus, Deanna Skowood, Gina Labiak, Michele Ambroziak, Maureen Doyle, Karen Hess, Brian Blakely Third Row: me, Steve McComsey, Eva Taylor, Billy, Peggy, Susan Pacana, Stephanie Palmer Bottom Row: Jeff Huckle, Mary McNew, Mike Boggs, Bronwyn Zappacosta, Michael Jason, Cindy, Steven Dynesko

  Photos: Historic Preservation Trust  

Le Petite Patisserie has scheduled several upcoming monthly teas at Lancaster's Historic Preservation Trust. English High Teas have proven to be a perfect fit for the house where Andrew Ellicott taught Meriwether Lewis navigational skills in 1803, prior to the Lewis & Clark Expedition. “The house and its courtyard make such a beautiful and historic setting for teas,” said Donna Lussier, owner of La Petite Patisserie and hostess for the teas. “We are very pleased to be in partnership with the Historic Preservation Trust to expand what we started in May.” The themed monthly teas are scheduled for: September 20 – Afternoon Tea at the Trust October 19 – Breast Cancer Awareness Tea November 15 – Downton Abbey Tea December 13 – Tea with Santa (children’s tea) December 14 – Holiday High Tea (adult tea) Click HERE  for information about tea times, seatings, pricing and reservations. The English Duchess of Bedford Anna Maria Stanhope (1783-1857) is said to...

  Geo. W. Babel Jr Born & Died May 30, 1938   buried at Holy Ghost Ukrainian Cemetery Valley Township, Chester County, PA     George was the son of George William Babel and Helen Marie Taylor. George was stillborn at Coatesville Hospital. The family lived at 1053 Rock Run Road, Coatesville. His death certificate reveals he was a large child at 11 lbs 2 oz. It also sadly reveals that Helen was unable to deliver him as his shoulders were stuck with no rotation.      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.

Józef Matys fought in WWII in the Polish Air Force in Great Britain, according to Krzystek's List . I found the resource listed in a Facebook group called Polish Genealogical Society of Michigan. If you have Facebook search relevant groups for your families. Often, there are some great leads. The site offers the following information: RAF service number is 794382. DOB: 12.02.1905 Place of birth: was not listed Date of death: 1978 Grave location: Nottingham, UK RAF rank: LAC Polish rank: plutonowy trade: mechanic A few notes: RAF = Royal Air Force LAC = Leading aircraftman plutonowy = platoon leader

Helen D. Skrabalak, 77, of Johnson City, passed away Tuesday, 5 March 2002 at Wilson Memorial Hospital. She is survived by her husband, Stanley Skrabalak , Johnson City; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Duane Skrabalak , Binghamton, Dale and Linda Skrabalak, Endicott; a daughter and son-in-law, Darlene and John Kendrot, Raleigh, North Carolina; three grandchildren, Nickolas Skrabalak, Heather Skrabalak and Ashley Kendrot; also many nephews and nieces. Helen and her husband, Stanley, operated the Belmar Restaurant in Binghamton for over 40 years before their retirement in 1996. Helen was a member of St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, Binghamton. A funeral service will be held Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Laskowski Funeral Home and at 9:30 a.m. at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Rev. John E. Mikalajunas. Burial in Calvary Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the Laskowski Funeral Home Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. It is the wish of th...

My Polish/Ukrainian surnames are frustrating sometimes! I know I'm not alone in this frustration. My surnames are: Hruszczak, Matys, Romanko, Vaspleship, Kurenda and Skrabalak. For example, I found Matys to also be written as Matyz. I found Kurenda recorded as Korenda and Skrabalak as Skrbalik. Hruszczak was changed to Ruczhak when my grandfather started school and the teacher Americanized his name so it was easier on her. One of his brothers switched the c and the z around. On top of that it is also pronounced differently depending on who you ask! I have also seen Hruszczak butchered by a few census recorders. Recently, someone (on Facebook) suggested an article by William F. Hoffman. He wrote this excellent article about the mutilation of Eastern European surnames. Photo: Dreamstime

Each Thursday in August, the Lancaster County Historical Society presents a "Back to Basics" session covering a once basic tradition that most of us have gotten away from. Next Thursday, 14 August, Sarah Preston of Herbs from the Labyrinth will lead the session on Herbal Folk Medicine. Preston will discuss some relatively simple home remedies used by our ancestors as well as some that we can still use today. The cost of the session is just $5. To register visit the Historical Society online or call 717-392-4633. Photo: Dreamstime

  Seventh Grade 1981-82 Coatesville Area Catholic Elementary School Coatesville, PA   Top Row: Billy, Deana Skowood, Sister (we called her Nightmare but I forget her name), & Greg Ramaley. 2nd Row: Bridget Fuller, me, Gina Davio, & Maureen Doyle. 3rd Row: Marty McDonald, Kathy Lewis, Mike Jason, James Huff, Steve Dovidio, Bronwyn Zappacosta, & Steven. 4th Row: Kim Karmilowicz, Susan Pacana, Jeff Huckle, Audrey Townsend, & Cindy. Bottom Row: Brian Blakely, Stephanie Palmer, Ben Walus, Helen, Tom Masculli, Bridget Olesky, & Tony Previte.

I spent a recent afternoon at the Lancaster County Historical Society where I found St. Joseph's Directory. St. Joseph's is a Roman Catholic parish, originally founded in 1849 by German immigrants, in Lancaster City, Lancaster County, PA. I was looking for information on John Kirchner, my husband's great great grandfather, who died in a work related accident on 31 October 1881. I did find his information, but I also found and infant Kirchner! Listed in 1881 was: Kirchner, infant, filia illegitima Rosa Kirchner, mortua statim post partum, 26 m June sepulta est codem. Translation: Kirchner , baby , illegitimate daughter of Rose Kirchner , died immediately after birth , on 26   June and was buried the same (day) . Burial for the child (and for John Kirchner as well) is at the Old St Joseph Cemetery, 440 St Joseph Street. The cemetery, which sadly has fallen into such a disaster, adjoins the church. Rosa, my husband's great grandmother, just keeps getting mo...

  Slipczenko Nykifon 31 May 1898 - 17 November 1965 Emilia 2 May 1894 - 30 January 1986 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.

Binghamton: Duane R. Skrabalak, 65, passed away April 21, 2014 unexpectedly at home, after a few years of declining health. Duane was pre-deceased by his mother, Helen , and his father, Stanley . He is survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Dr. Dale S. and Linda M. Skrabalak; his sister and brother-in-law, Darlene and Jon Kendrot; niece, Dr. Heather L. Gifford (Andrew); nephew, Nickolas A. Skrabalak (Lauren); niece, Ashley and his fabulous great-nieces and great-nephews, Alayna, Jocelyn, Maxton and Hayes. Duane is also survived by two dear friends: his mentor, Peyton Hibbitt and Joanne Ardune. Duane's earliest professional training began in 1970 with the Tri-Cities Opera under the tutelage of TCO founders Peyton Hibbitt and Carmen Savoca. He first joined the company as a singer and pianist but soon became choral director and eventually crossed the footlights to concentrate on conducting as well as coaching voice and language. He made his conducting debut in 1974 with Gouno...

Today marks the Anniversary of the First Census. In 1790 the government began keeping track of specific information via the census. Charles Still, b. 1760, was living in Uwchland, Chester County when that first census was taken in 1790. The first number is the number of free White males aged 16 years and older. The government needed this figure to assess the country's industrial and military potential. The second number represents the number of white males under the age of 16 in the house. The third number is the number of white females, regardless of age. The fourth column is for all other free persons (this would be for example any free blacks). The final column is for any slaves. In the above example, it looks like 1-3-5-0-0 for Charles Still. He naturally would be the older than 16 white male. I know he had three boys: Charles (b 1779), Henry (b 1780) and Jacob (b 1782). The third column indicates there are five (5) females in the house. One would b...