Genealogical Gems

My poor desks. I have just been piling things around and they were in need of a really good Sorting Saturday.   I also found things … things I forgot I even had! I found a USB extension thingie. Like that technical term? It gives me five extra ports. I had forgotten all about that one. I found some seed packages, several books that I have not around to reading yet, and my renewal form for the National Genealogical Society (NGS). Fortunately the deadline is not until next week so I’m still good there! I even found the instructions on how to use my “new” Windows phone. I got it several months ago and simply ask my twin 16 year olds to “fix it” when I get annoyed!   I found a post it note with information on my great grandmother’s naturalization information. Her name is Bessie Matys Hruszczak. The number written on a census was 3-172456 with the date 2/27/40. The 3 indicates District 3, which in 1940 was Philadelphia . Her application number then is 172456 and the verificat...

A Belgian steamer and French freighter exploded today in Canada's Halifax Harbor in 1917. Both ships were carrying with ammunition. The explosion left part of the town leveled and killed nearly 1,600 people and injured approximately 8,000 others. The Mont Blanc - the French freighter - had picked up a load of TNT in New York City and was meeting up with the Imo - the Belgian steamer. The freighter, due to poor visibility, slammed into the steamer. Both ships caught on fire and the crews of both ships abandoned them. The Pictou , a British ship, was also in the harbor at the time and was also filled with ammunition. Her crew, seeing the fires on the other two ships, immediately fled. The High Flyer , which was to be the lead ship in this ill fated convoy across the Atlantic, attempted to stop the disaster, Twenty-three men from the High Flyer were sent to sink the vessels but were too late. The explosion occurred as th...

Veterans' Day is a day to remember, appreciate and thank all the service members and their families who have served our country. The day got its start in November 1919, when - a year after World War I, known as "the Great War", came to an end - President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as Armistice Day. Today was known as Armistice Day for many years as people remembered the horrors and the heroes of the "war to end all wars" ... and then it happened again. We found ourselves in the midst of the Second World War. In 1954 the wording was officially changed from Armistice Day to Veterans' Day. In addition the wording was changed from honoring those who fought in WWI to "honor American veterans of all wars." Today that has loosened up - though not officially - to honor all those who have served, including those in peace time. Each year the sitting President releases a Presidential Proclamation announcing Veteran's Day as a solemn legal nationa...

Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia today back in 1914 after a Serbian nationalist assassinated  the Archduke Ferdinand of Austria and his wife. By 1914 my immigrants from that area were all here, already settled in Coatesville, Chester County. Panko Hruszczak (my great grandfather) arrived at Ellis Island on 20 April 1911 aboard the Volturno from Rotterdam, Holland. His last known address was Prusy, Austria. He listed his ethnicity as Austria, Ruthenian. He was an 18 year old single white male. According to my grandfather he had only two sisters and they both ended up married in France. It is believed that his parents Theodore and Catherine Romanko Hruszczak remained in Prusy, Austria. Panko registered for the draft but was not called upon to fight. Panko met and married Bessie (Paska) Matys. Bessie was her Americanized name. She arrived at Ellis Island on 28 October 1912. She listed her ethnicity as Ruthenian-Austrian and she was from the village Fraga. She was an 18 y...

John Frederick Eckman served in the Navy in WWI. He served from 23 September 1918 until 30 September 1921. He was born on 20 February 1897 to William Aldus and Annie E Stively Eckman in Quarryville. The 1910 Census shows the then 13 year old John at home in Lancaster City. He was one of five children, although his parents had lost a child by the 1910 census. His father was a commercial traveler in the carpet cleaning industry. In 1918 when he registered for the draft, John was living in Detroit, MI, working for a sales company. His father, who was listed as his closest kin, was still in Lancaster County, PA. The 1920 census includes John as a lodger with the Trapp Family in Detroit. He worked as a machine operator in the auto industry. He passed on 20 January 1985. He is buried at the New Providence Mennonite Cemetery, New Providence, Lancaster County, PA with his wife Helen May Moore (1895-1971).

William Chester Eckman served in the US Army during World War I. Today we honor him as we continue our National Military Appreciation Month. He registered for the draft in June 1917. He was single at that time, according to his Draft Registration. He served in the Army from 27 May 1918 to 20 January 1919. PFC Eckman was assigned to the Dep Brig Rec Detachment. He served in Co K 314 Inf WWI. William was born 20 February 1889 in Cochranville, Chester County, PA. His parents were Henry E. and Phoebe Ella (nee Fox) Eckman. The 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930 Censuses show William, still single, living in East Fallowfield with his parents and siblings. His siblings were Anna Lecritia (b. September 1891), George Henry (b. March 1898 ) and Jacob Derwood (b. 1903 ). Henry was 21 and Ella was 19 at the time of their marriage in 1888. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania. Ella does appear in the 1940 Census as a widow. None of the children live with her. Instead s...