Genealogical Gems

Several articles caught my attention this week but these two stood out. Schalene Dagutis’ article titled “ Social Security Applications and Claims Index .” This was a great example of how this database – newly released on Ancestry.com – is vital to finding those unknown bits and pieces.    Have ancestors from the Netherlands ? This article is for you then! Yvette Hoitink wrote a piece on obtaining certified copies of birth and death records from the Netherlands . Dutch records are available to the public 50 years after death, 75 years after marriage and 100 years after birth.    Resource Finds: I thought I would also pass along some resources I tracked down this week through various sources.   Atcherley.org.uk lists a great number of helpful books and newspapers. He provides a brief description as well as a link off to them.   Genealogy is enjoying mainstream tv time as more and more celebrities are interested in finding their herita...

Happy birthday wishes go out to Cody Catanese Blackenbiller and Kate Walkling today!   

It was On This Day in 1875 that former President Andrew Johnson passed away. His death was the result of a stroke he suffered while visiting his daughter in Tennessee. Johnson succeeded President Abraham Lincoln after he was assassinated in 1865. Johnson was the 17 th president of the United States .   Source: Former President Andrew Johnson Dies   History.com On This Day in History, 1875     Photo: Wikipedia   On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Octorara Lake is a great little fishing and picnic area in Colerain Township , Lancaster County . Today the Octoraro Reservoir falls under the authority of the Chester Water Authority. Years ago, circa 1880 and into the early 1900s, Octorara was a thriving little community. A History of the Octoroaro Farmers Club mentions an Octorara Post Office. Originally the post office in that area was called Andrews Bridge Post Office. However it was changed in 1850 to Octorara Post Office. In 1860 Wilson Dobbins bought the store, as well as 14 acres, according to LivingPlaces.com. He managed both the store and the post office, which was housed there as so many were then, until his death in 1878. (Wikipedia photo) Unfortunately the census records do not list Octorara as Dobbins’ post office. The 1870 census lists “May” and the 1860 census simply says “Colerain”, which is the name of the township. The US IRS Tax Assessment List for 1866 (see below) does note his address, that is his...

Happy birthday wishes today go out to Denise O'Flaherty Coblentz and Wendy Mellinger Miley!    

It was On This Day in 2003 that the last classic VW Beetle rolled off the production line in Mexico. Volkswagen, which is headquartered in Wolfsburg , Germany , built over 21 million since World War II.   The classic VW Beetle was my mom’s choice of vehicles when I was young.    Source: Last classic VW Beetle rolls off the line   History.com On This Day in History, 2003     On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

It was On This Day in 1958 that NASA - the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) - was created. On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Thomas F. McClure, son of David and Jane McClure died on 30 January 1893. He is buried at the Octorara Presbyterian Cemetery along Valley Road (Route 372) between Quarryville and Christiana, in Southern Lancaster County.   Tombstone Tuesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers.   © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

The other day I visited the Octorara Presbyterian Church down along Route 372/Valley Road between Quarryville and Christiana, Lancaster County . I saw a grave marker I had not seen before. There was an outer circle reading “In honor of service.” Inside the circle is a star reading “N.S. U.S.D. 1812.” Unfortunately the stone had worn and was not readable.    N.S.U.S.D. stands for National Society of United States Daughters of 1812 . The organization was founded 8 January 1892 by Mrs. Flora Adams Darling for the descendents of those who fought for America in the War of 1812.   Think you might have an ancestor who served in the War of 1812? The NSUSD offers a database of member ancestors. Some entries are more detailed than others.    Francis Harbison ( member # 14849 ) was born in 1758 in PA. He served PA as a Private in the Chester County Militia. His entry also reveals his wife was Katherine Hart. They had a daughter, Jane, who married James Ewing...

Two scientists at the University of Tornoto – Frederick Banting and Charles Best – successfully isolated insulin On This Day in 1921. They isolated the insulin from canine subjects, created diabetic symptoms in those subjects and then proceeded to administer a program of insulin injection which returned the subjects to their pre-diabetic state!   Almost 10% of the American population has diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association . Although scientists like Banting and Best have made great strides, diabetes is still the seventh leading cause of death in the United States .   Source: Insulin isolated in Toronto   History.com On This Day in History, 1921     On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Christian Mellinger was in his 92 nd year of life when he died on 25 July 1880. A resident of Mountville in Lancaster County , he was a farmer. A member of the Old Mennonite Church , he was survived by four sons and six daughters.   His obituary reads: Christian Mellinger, a venerable patriarch of Mountville, West Hempfield township, died last evening between 10 and 11 o’clock, in the 92 nd year of his age, of dropsy, with which he had been but a short time affected. Mr. Mellinger was a native of this county, a farmer by profession, and led a quiet and homely life; and yet by his frugality, industry and skill in farming acquired a very considerable fortune, estimated at from $80,000 to $100,00. He was an upright, honorable man, highly esteemed by all who knew him. He was a widower, and for some years past has lived with one of his sons. He was a member, we believe, of the Old Mennonite church. His surviving family consists of four sons and six daughters, all of w...

The Union Fire Company, On This Day in 1880, commemorated the birthday of Robert Fulton, who was a member of that company. The Union Fire Company was founded in 1742 and is the oldest continuing operating volunteer fire company in the nation. Many influential Lancastrians were members at one time or another.    Source: Lancaster Daily Intelligencer. ( Lancaster , PA ), 26 July 1880. Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Library of Congress.      On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Two young coal pickers were killed On This Day in 1881 in Ashley. Edith and Lottie Low, 10 and 12 years of age, were killed as they were picking coal from the tracks. Edith was struck and killed by a passenger train. Lottie was struck as well. Her injuries were so severe that there was little to no hope of her survival. The train was on the Central R. R. of New Jersey.   Source: Lancaster Daily Intelligencer. ( Lancaster , PA ), 25 July 1881. Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Library of Congress.      On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Several articles caught my attention this week but these stood out: I used to think I was alone in that my Dad’s grandparents and families all listed different places of birth on various papers over the years. This week, Find Lost Russian & Ukrainian Family faced a similar dilemma in her post “ Whysome documents will never tell the full truth .” Vera Miller’s family came over much later than mine but many people of Slavic origins have recounted the same dilemma to me over the years. Will we ever actually know where our family came from and why they “lied?”   Heather Wilkinson Rojo, of Nutfield Genealogy, inspired Karen Krantzberg, of The Road Backward, to write “ Mytop five genealogy books .”   What a great idea and a neat way to share resources! I think I may work on that in the upcoming days.   I love old postcards. New ones too. Simon Last, earlier this week, wrote a post on Charwood Genealogy about old postcard research. Some of the information provi...

An early morning fire destroyed a flour and grain mill just east of Lititz On This Day in 1885. A young man discovered the fire on his way home. At first he thought the millers were working late but then realized it was in fact on fire. He sounded the alarm but the mill was totally destroyed. The mill was owned by Abraham Huber of Manheim Township and operated by his nephew, John Huber. Source: Lancaster Daily Intelligencer. ( Lancaster , PA ), 24 July 1885. Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Library of Congress.      On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Throwback Thursday (TBT) - Our wedding day From left to right: my sister Noreen, me (obviously, right!), hubby Glenn, and his best friend/best man Rick Wilkey. Those Places Thursday preview ... the photo was taken at the Octoraro Lake in Southern Lancaster County ... which will be the feature of next week's Those Places Thursday!   Those Places Thursday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers.   © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

James A. Eckman, of Drumore Centre , the hotel that burned on the 21 st , was arrested for forgery On This Day in 1880. Eckman allegedly had given a note to L. Strauss & Co. of Philadelphia but he had signed it G.W. Harbeson. Harbeson naturally denied any knowledge of the note. Eckman was given bail for $500 and would go before Squire Groff in Willow Street on the 27 th of July. Eckman claimed Harbeson had given him permission to sign his name.   The Drumore Centre Hotel had burned completely on the 21 st July 1880. The hotel, according to the article , had just been advertised at sheriff’s sale before the fire. James is the son of the late Henry Eckman.    Source: Lancaster Daily Intelligencer. ( Lancaster , PA ), 23 July 1880. Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Library of Congress.      On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical events.          ...

The Southern End hotel, known as Drumore Centre, has burned. The origin of the fire, which occurred approximately 6 p.m. on the 21 st July 1880, was unknown. Neighbors were able to save the contents of the house and protect the surrounding buildings.   The license for the hotel was still in court pending. The title of the property is held by the son of the late Henry Eckman. The son (unnamed in the article ) and his mother, Henry’s widow, lived there for years. A Mr. Sanders McCullough from nearby Oxford held a lien on the property. The lien is assumed (by the article ) to be greater than the insurance. The hotel was insured by the Southern Mutual of Lancaster County for $2,000.   The hotel is described as a two story frame structure. It was located at the Lancaster and Port Deposit Road crossroads. It was located near the Washington Lodge A.Y.M.   Source: Lancaster Daily Intelligencer. ( Lancaster , PA ), 22 July 1880. Chronicling America : Histor...

William and Elizabeth Kunkle are buried together in the old German Reformed Church Cemetery on Sawmill Road in Strasburg Township . The cemetery which is full of Eckmans and of course these Kunkles, is situated on what is now private property. However it is along the roadside and the family there maintains it for the most part. My girls and I stopped by recently and took this photo then.   Tombstone Tuesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers.   © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Jaw bones were found On This Day in 1880 in the Muhlenberg house on South Queen Street. The bones were found sealed up between the floor and ceiling at the first landing of the stairs and had evidently been placed their when the house was built at the beginning of the century. The house was originally built by Joseph Montgomery. For many years thereafter it was the home of Dr. F. A. Muhlenberg. It was recently purchased by Isaac Diller.   The bones are those of either a horse or mule. They were found while men were making alterations to the stairway.   Source:   Lancaster Daily Intelligencer. ( Lancaster , PA ), 21 July 1880. Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Library of Congress.      On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Ella Watson had come West to Wyoming and received a homestead license in Wyoming . Her homestead was near that of James Averell, a saloonkeeper. The two had received a license to marry. However, there is no record of them actually ever getting married. Their homesteads were along the Sweetwater River . Although they had claimed the land legally, rancher Albert Bothwell had been using that land to graze his herds.   Bothwell accused Watson and Averell of rustling! He and his men captured the couple and On This Day in 1889 hung them. Watson, according to History.com, is the only woman ever executed in Wyoming .   Source: Homesteaders murdered by Wyoming ranchers   History.com On This Day in History, 1889.     Photo: Wikipedia, public domain.   On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, ...

Elliot H. Eckman died suddenly in Atlantic City. A resident of Trevorton, he was just 40 years old. His wife survives him. While his obituary does not mention any other family, he was also survived by a brother, Frank .   His obituary reads: Elliot H. Eckman, of Treverton, a former resident of this city, died at Atlantic City on Thursday morning last, where he had gone to try and regain his health.   When Mr. Eckman left for Atlantic City , he was not aware of the malady, which was pronounced “hasty consumption,” that had taken hold of him, nor of the seriousness of his illness. He had hardly reached the city until he became worse instead of better. The air was too heavy for him and he seemed to fail at once, even before he could realize his condition, he was past recovery.   He leaves a wife to mourn his sudden taking away. He was 40 years of age.   Mr. Eckman resided in this city twelve years ago, and for sometime kept a grocery store at the stand...

Elliot Eckman , a justice of peace at Treverton, was being laid to rest On This Day in 1900 when his brother was arrested. Frank Eckman had come back east for Elliot’s funeral at Klinesgrove. Detective Paul F. Fendrick arrested Frank. The charge was deserting his wife several years prior. Source: Montour American. ( Danville , PA ), 19 July 1900. Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Library of Congress.      On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Baking powder is something we kind of take for granted today. Baking powder itself actually dates back to 1843. The Royal Baking Powder Company was founded in 1866 by brothers Cornelius and Joseph Hoagland. In 1873 two investors were brought on and the company took off at that point. On 11 February 1873, the Royal Baking Product was mentioned in a drugstore ad on the front bottom right of the Charlotte Democrat ( Charlotte , NC ). Wilson & Black’s Drug Store simply mentioned the product by name. There was little description.   By 1891 the Royal Baking Powder Company was advertising across the nation. Today, being Shopping Saturday (a GeneaBloggers prompt), I thought we could take a look at some of their ads. I first saw their ad in the Evening Herald ( Shenandoah , PA ).   The Shenandoah Evening Herald printed a 2x2 ad for Royal Baking Powder at the top middle of page three. Other papers displayed larger advertisements.   The Frankfort Roundabout ...

Adolf Hitler published the first volume of his manifesto Mein Kampf On This Day in 1925. This autobiographical piece was filled with anti-Semitic ramblings and blueprints – literally – for taking over the world. It became the most well known repulsive piece of Nazi propaganda and in fact the bible of the Nazi Party, of which Hitler would be its infamous leader.   Hitler wrote the work while he was imprisoned in the Landsberg Jail for his role in an uprising. He was actually sentenced for five years on the charge of high treason. He served a mere nine months.    Had the world only paid attention then …   Source: Hitler publishes Mein Kampf   History.com On This Day in History, 1925     On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015