Genealogical Gems

Considered a spiritual place by many, Devil’s Tower is a monolith of igneous rock. It was formed by the magma which forcibly entered into or between other rock formations of igneous material. Geologists believe it formed approximately 60 million years ago during the Paleogene Period.   A translator misunderstood the name to mean Bad God’s Tower and the name was later amended to Devil’s Tower. It became our first national monument in 1906, established as such by then President Theodore Roosevelt.    Located in the Black Hills in northeast Wyoming , over 400,000 people visit Devil’s Tower each year. A small percent of visitors actually climb the monument as well.      In 1983 we visited there. The photos are from that visit.   Those Places Thursday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers.   © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Scarlet fever claimed three children in Michigan On This Day in 1881. The Weaver family of Creso, Michigan , fell ill – all eight of them – to scarlet fever. The family lived on an islet in the middle of a marsh. Three children died within 24 hours.   According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), scarlet fever is a bacterial infection resulting from group A strep. Today, it can be treated with antibiotics.    Source: Lancaster daily intelligencer. ( Lancaster , Pa. ), 30 April 1881. Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Library of Congress.    On This Day is a prompt I started to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

  A Shenandoah family – the Morrisons and McGrails - were evicted. Barney Dolan claimed he held a mortgage on the Morrison property and that they defaulted. He claimed right to various goods belong to the Morrisons in lieu of payment. While taking the goods however, there was a bit of excitement. Officers removed everything from the house, including the Morrison family and William McGrail, son in law to Mr. Morrison. Mrs. McGrail had fainted and was allowed to stay in the house under guard.   At one point the house was unguarded and the Morrisons moved their goods back inside. Dolan arrived again and this time McGrail threatened to shoot the first one through the door. A fight ensued and in the end Morrison and McGrail were arrested for resisting.   The events were reported in Lancaster On This Day in 1881. Source: Lancaster daily intelligencer. ( Lancaster , Pa. ), 29 April 1881. Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Library of Cong...

Henry Eckman (1818 - 1887) is buried at the Zion Reformed Cemetery in New Providence. He is buried with his wife Susan (1831 - 1897).   Henry was born 28 December 1818. He died on 31 July 1887 in his 68 th year. His wife, Susan, was also an Eckman by birth. She was born 12 January 1831 to John Eckman and Susan Groff. She died on 3 September 1897.     Tombstone Tuesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers.   © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

  Miss Martin took her class on a botanizing expedition On This Day in 1881. Martin taught at St. James’ parish school. The botanizing expedition went to Rohrerstown. Source: Lancaster daily intelligencer. ( Lancaster , Pa. ), 28 April 1881. Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Library of Congress.   On This Day is a prompt I started this month to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

The Belleville Opera House was destroyed by fire On This Day in 1880. The opera house is located in Bellville, Ontario . The loss was estimated at $15,000 at that time. There had been a performance just two hours before the fire broke out.   Source: Lancaster daily intelligencer. ( Lancaster , Pa. ), 27 April 1880. Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Library of Congress.      On This Day is a prompt I started this month to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

This week, my family both celebrates and remembers. Birthdays Happy birthday this week to my sister, Noreen! Hope your birthday is a … HOOT! Today is our cousin Sue Still’s birthday as well. May God grant you both Many Years.    Memory Eternal Ten years ago today my sister (technically hubby’s sister) Wilma Lee Eckman LeMon passed. She was only 52 when she passed. She was the daughter of Frank Eckman and Dorothy Deyoe and the wife of William LeMon. They have three children.  She was a great friend, one of a very few I feel safe confiding in. She is deeply missed. She is pictured at left here with Dad (her father, Frank, that is). The picture was taken in my parents' front yard during our wedding reception in 1992. Today we also remember my husband’s 4 th great grandmother, Catherine Bumberger Herr. She passed 135 years ago at the age of 88. Catherine was the daughter of Michael Bumberger and Elizabeth Hawk. She married David Herr in 1808 and they had seven...

I was 10 when Three Mile Island (TMI) happened. That was big news here locally. It was the worst nuclear incident in history at that time. Safety precautions were put in place from the lessons learned. No one wanted to believe that anything like that would ever happen again. Then, in my junior year of high school, On This Day in 1986 … Chernobyl happened.   The Chernobyl power-generating station is located in Pripyat , Ukraine , north of Kiev . There was an explosion and subsequent fire in one of the units, specifically Unit 4. The incident, which was a combination of design issues and operator errors, occurred during a system test. As a result of the incident a large quantity of radioactive contamination was released, spreading over much of Russia and Europe .     Approximately 350,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes and essentially their lives as a containment zone was set up around the plant. The radius of the zone measured 19 miles. Chernobyl...

Most of my ancestors were born, lived and died within a tight geographic circle. There were a few who moved away for work only to move back. Of course my immigrant picked up and moved across the pond! They seem to be the only daring ones though – except my uncle Benjamin VanHorn.   Benjamin was born in Pennsylvania , and lived in Chester County most of his formative years. He fought in the Civil War, on the Union Side. It goes without saying that he traveled during that time. A few years after the war, he married in Philadelphia and moved shortly thereafter to Virginia (where their eldest was born) before settling in California . Benjamin was born around 1843 to George VanHorn and Jane Dudbridge. The first census he is named therefore on is the 1850 US Census.     1850 US Census Benjamin was just seven in 1850. Listed as Franklin , I found him in the 1850 US Census living with his parents. He has three siblings at this time: Pierson (my 3x great g...

A Lancaster City man was granted a patent for a painting compound On This Day in 1881. The painting compound can be used on roofs, fences, and such. The paint will not crack. George W. Hawthorn secured the patent through Wm. R. Gerhart, a solicitor of patents. Source: Lancaster daily intelligencer. ( Lancaster , Pa. ), 25 April 1881. Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Library of Congress.      On This Day is a prompt I started this month to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

I am so excited! The Lancaster Family History Conference is being held today, Friday 24 April and Saturday, 25 April in Lancaster County … and I am finally able to go!   Today I am attending an afternoon session: Behind the Scenes at the Genealogy Roadshow with D. Joshua Taylor. When the show came to Philly, I actually applied (yes, you have to apply to be on the show) but never heard from them. Of the various shows on television at the moment, I prefer this one because it is every day people, not stars who can manipulate the findings.   The two hour session, held at the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, will cover the methodology used to verify or disprove family stories and claims. If I had been chosen, I had asked for help with my Still line.    My 4 th great grandmother, Margaret Still, has always been difficult. I was fortunate enough to become addicted to genealogy while my great Aunt Helen was still alive. She was – at that time –...

The Library of Congress was established On This Day in 1800. President John Adams signed a bill authorizing the transfer of the federal government from Philadelphia to Washington , DC . That same bill established a library for the members of Congress.   Did you also know … The Library of Congress, which is located at 101 Independence Avenue , has a Local History & Genealogy Reading Room? For more information, go to http://www.loc.gov/rr/genealogy/ . Source: Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/about/history-of-the-library/     On This Day is a prompt I started this month to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

There was a case of leprosy in New Oxford, Adams County On This Day in 1880. The victim is a Civil War veteran. He was discharged in 1865 after contracting the incurable disease during his service. He receives disability from the government. The article, which ran in the Lancaster Daily Intelligencer, did not identify the soldier by name.   Leprosy is a chronic, infectious disease causing skin lesions and nerve damage. Source: Lancaster daily intelligencer. ( Lancaster , Pa. ), 23 April 1880. Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Lib. of Congress.     On This Day is a prompt I started this month to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Today is Earth Day, a day designed to increase global ecological awareness and our symbiotic relationship with the Earth. The first Earth Day was celebrated On This Day in 1970. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin was instrumental in creating Earth Day.

Isaac Winters (1854 - 1945) is buried at the Zion Reformed Cemetery in New Providence. He is buried with his wife Mary Jane (1855 - 1929).   Isaac was born 3 July 1854 to Benjamin Winters and Mary Garvin in Paradise Township , Lancaster County . He died of pneumonia on 29 March 1945. Mary Jane King was born 1 November 1855 to Samuel King and Mary Swilkey. She died of a cerebral hemorrhage on 1 February 1929. The couple married in 1877 and had 10 children.       Tombstone Tuesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers.   © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Those who desired to be appointed a census enumerator had to apply and meet certain requirements. An article appeared On This Day in the Lancaster Daily Intelligencer in 1880 listing the requirements to be an enumerator.    A written application had to include: * Place of birth * Present legal address * Education information * A list of any offices held * Present occupation   The application also had to be in the person’s own handwriting.   Source: Lancaster daily intelligencer. ( Lancaster , Pa. ), 21 April 1880. Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Lib. of Congress.   On This Day is a prompt I started this month to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

It hardly seems like 16 years but it was On This Day in 1999 that two teenagers plotted and carried out a shooting spree at their high school – Columbine High School – in the otherwise peaceful town of Littlton , Colorado . Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris killed 12 students, a teacher, and finally themselves. An additional 23 people were also injured that somber morning Those killed that morning were: Cassie Bernall Steve Curnow Corey DePooter Kelly Fleming Matt Kechter Daniel Mauser Daniel Rohrbough Dave Sanders, Coach Rachel Scott Isaiah Shoels John Tomlin Laura Townsend Kyle Velasquez May Their Memory Be Eternal     On This Day is a prompt I started this month to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Jeannette S. Still, 94, of Mortonville, died Friday afternoon at the Harrison House, Christiana, where she resided for the past two and one half years. She had been in failing health during that time. She was born in Mortonville, daughter of the late Frank and S. Jennie Van Horn Still, and resided there for the past 19 years. Miss Still was a graduate of the Women's Hospital of Philadelphia and was a registered nurse in Michigan and Pennsylvania for 50 years, retiring at age 75. She was a nurse at Wilkes-Barre City Hospital for several years, a head nurse at Women's Medical, Surgical, and Obstetrics Hospital, worked in the children's eye, ear and throat ward at Allegheny Hospital, Pittsburgh, was assistant and relief assistant for three years at Grace Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, and instructor and assistant for many years at Grace. She also worked on private duty as a nurse at Ford Motor Co. in Michigan. After retirement, she returned to Mortonville. Miss Still was a...

This week’s 52 Ancestors Challenge prompt is:  Live Long. Time to feature a long-lived ancestor. Any centenarians in the family? My Aunt Jennie may be the longest living ancestor. She lived 94 years. I can not think of any centenarians.   Aunt Jennie is Jennette Sarah Still. She was born 24 January 1888 to Franklin Pierson Still and Sarah Jennie VanHorn in East Fallowfield Township , Chester County . Her older brother, Pierson George Still, is my great grandfather.   She never married. Instead, she graduated from the Women's Hospital in Philadelphia. She was a nurse at Wilkes Barre City Hospital. She was also a head nurse at the Women's Medical, Surgical and Obstetrics Hospital. She also worked in the children's ear, nose throat ward at the Allegheny Hospital in Pittsburgh. After some time nursing here, she went out to Detroit , Wayne County, Michigan where she was a registered nurse. The 1900 and the 1910 Census show Jennie Still living ...

Seeking info concerning Forsythe Manor in Detroit MI circa 1930-1940. What type of institution was it?

It was 13 years ago today that my Uncle Pete passed. He left his loving wife (my now late Aunt Marianne), two daughters and two grandchildren. He was born Peter Hruszczak on 16 October 1932 to Panko Hruszczak and Bessie Matys. His brother, Joseph, is my grandfather. I have many good memories of Uncle Pete. The photo is from the newspaper announcement of his wedding to Marianne Sherman. They were married in February of 1956 at St. Cecilia's RC Church in Coatesville. Before he married, he had served in Korea. He had been in the Army. He had enlisted on 10 February 1953 and was released on 22 December 1954. The photo is of him obviously in uniform at that time. I obtained a digital copy from my cousin, one of his daughters, awhile back. May His Memory Be Eternal.

Lancaster County farmers were cautioned On This Day in 1880 about the possibility of diseased cattle. The cattle were imported from Hartford and Cecil Counties in Maryland and sold recently at the Chad ’s Ford farmers’ club in Chester County . The disease the cattle may carry is pleuro-pneumonia.      Source:   Lancaster daily intelligencer. ( Lancaster , Pa. ), 19 April 1880. Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Lib. of Congress.     On This Day is a prompt I started this month to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015