Genealogical Gems

While going through paperwork in my 3 rd great grandfather’s (George D Still) file, I came across a funeral invitation. It isn’t really a funeral card, in my opinion. It reads: Yourself and family are invited to attend the funeral of Robert McWilliams from his late residence 1507 Parish St. Phila. Pa on Jan 24 th /87. Meet at the house at 3 p.m. Internment at Mechanics Cemetery . I just love the wording, “are invited to attend,” but who is Robert McWilliams? My 3 rd great grandmother (George D Still’s wife) was Sarah Bing. Her mother was Sarah McWilliams so it is plausible that this Robert is a relative. He most likely is not Sarah McWilliams Bing’s father as that would put George’s wife Sarah in her late 70s when he passed, 76 to be exact. Through Ancestry.com, I was able to find him on the Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , Death Certificates Index, 1803-1915 . While it does not tell me who his parents were, it does offer some more hints. He was born in Pennsylvania...

The Bing surname, according to Ancestry, is “English, of uncertain derivation.” Uncertain – yep, that’s my family! My Bing Family begins with John and Jane Bing. Like so many on my mom’s side, John just kind of appears. I have no idea where he came from or how he came to be in Chester County or very little else about him.   John and Jane had three boys: James, Robert and Joseph. Robert is my direct line.      James James was born in 1776, the year of our Nation’s Independence ! He died 84 years later on 23 November 1860 in East Fallowfield Township .   Robert Robert was born in 1781, according to the 1810 US Census. He appears in East Caln in both 1800 and 1810 census records. In 1820, the US Census shows him living in nearby East Fallowfield . At some point, he married Sarah McWilliams (1788 – 1859). They had seven children: Jane, Mary, John (1808-1871), my 3 rd great grandmother Sarah (1811-1891), Samuel (b. 1813), James (b. 1819), a...

My family events this week: Birthdays Happy birthday this week to Samuel Buckley, Uncle John (John Ruczhak), Dawn Soanes and Robert Walkling! This week is also my Godmother’s daughter, Mary Roebke’s birthday! May God grant you all Many Years.    Memory Eternal Polly Deyoe died 154 years ago today (1 February). She is hubby’s 3 rd great aunt. She is the daughter of Jacobus “James” Deyoe and Annatje “Hannah” Walker.    John Bing passed 125 years ago Monday (that is, 2 February). John’s my distant cousin! According to FTM, he is my first cousin five times removed. He is the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Bing. He was born in 1818 in Chester County but at some point moved to Centre County . There he married Melissa Iddings, fathered a daughter Wilda and died on 2 February 1890.   Tuesday is the 16 th anniversary of Mabel Lawrence Geib passing and the 31 st anniversary of John Yuzwiak passing.  Mabel is the daughter of Walter Lawrence an...

Thursday of this week is National Puzzle Day. I used to love putting jigsaw puzzles together but why I bring this up is because it dawns on me that genealogy is like a big family puzzle. We spend our time seeing if this person fits here or there and matching up events and such. So really Thursday could be “National Place An Ancestor Day”!   Birthdays Happy birthday this week to David and Mark Peters, and Doug Schlichter! May God grant you all Many Years.    Memory Eternal Today (25 January) is the 104 th anniversary of the death of Julia T Coursault. She is my husband’s 2x great aunt and the daughter of Oliver C Coursault, of Philadelphia , and Catherine Wren, of Ireland .   Monday is the second anniversary of Aunt Jo passing. Aunt Jo is Josephine Eckman Pelikoski. She was (hubby’s) Dad’s sister. She married Tony Pelikoski. Tomorrow I will share more about Aunt Jo during Matrilineal Monday.   That's her photo at right. It is also 152 ye...

Amy Johnson Crow, of No Story Too Small , asked this week which ancestor has the closest birthday to us? At first glance this should be simple, right?    She specifically said ancestor not simply family member. So, first job is to define ancestor so that everyone is on the same page. Merriam Webster defines ancestor as “ a person who was in someone's family in past times: one of the people from whom a person is descended.” Personally, these two are not necessarily the same thing.    My birthday is 16 February. Also born on that day is John Kirchner, 158 years ago, but he is my husband’s 2x great grandfather not mine. Technically then, this does not answer the prompt. My Uncle Tom (my mom’s brother who just passed in August of last year) is a Valentine’s baby (14 February). Since he has passed away, he is in past times but I did not descend from him.    The closest relative who I have descended from and who has passed is my 3 rd great grandmothe...

Awhile back I saw this sort of post on someone else’s genealogy blog. I forget who wrote but I love the idea of each week remembering those who have passed, wishing the living a happy birthday or happy anniversary or simply remembering family events. Hence, this coming year – 2015 – I have decided to do the same.   Sunday, 28 December M. Virginia Acre Garris passed 5 years ago in 2009. The wife of Charles S. Garris, she was 90 years old when she passed. Their grandson Kevin married my first cousin Beth Ann Still. Charles Joseph Buckley turns 12 today!   His great grandfather, Raymond Welsh, was one of my grandmother’s brothers. Wednesday, 31 December Mattie L. Kittinger Eckman passed 25 years ago at the age of 87. She was married to Charles D. Eckman, son of Darius J. and Ella M. Doner Eckman. Darius was brother to hubby’s great grandfather, Charles Eckman. John Lawrence Schlichter turns 51. John is, according to FTM...

Sarah Bing Still is my great-great-great grandmother (Sarah Bing - Franklin Still - Pierson G Still - Lloyd P Still - mom - me). Sadly, I do not know much of her. She was born 18 February 1811 in Pennsylvania (I believe East Caln* but still confirming) to Robert and Sarah McWilliams Bing. On 30 December 1830 she married George David Still, of East Fallowfield. They had six children together. I had found mentioned of George being a trustee at the Methodist Episcopal Church in East Fallowfield in 1841. While it is normally safe to assume at that time that spouses attended the same church, Sarah's obituary notes her as a member of the Washington ME Church in East Fallowfield.  Sarah passed 13 April 1891 in East Fallowfield of pneumonia. She and George - who preceded her in death - are buried in the Doe Run Cemetery with many other Still family members. Her obituary was published in the Local on 14 April 1891. It reads: Mrs. Sarah B. Still, widow of the late Geo. D. ...

I am ready to cross the pond on most family lines, on both my side and my husband's. However, my BING ancestors are stuck in Chester County, PA. Sarah Bing is my great-great-great grandmother (Sarah Bing - Franklin Still - Pierson Still - Lloyd P Still - mom - me). She was born 18 February 1811 to Robert Bing and Sarah McWilliams. On 30 December 1830 she married George David Still. They lived in East Fallowfield Township. Robert and Sarah had seven (7) children: Sarah, Jane, Mary, John, Samuel, James, and Robert. However I know nothing of Robert and Sarah themselves. There are no BINGs on the 1780 or the 1785 census in Chester County. However, I did find a John Bing in East Caln on the 1799 tax list, which I obtained from the Chester County Archives. In 1895 there were four Bings listed: James, John, Joseph and Robert. John was in East Fallowfield and the others were in East Caln. James was listed as a laborer. Robert was a blacksmith. The other two did not include an occupation...

Amanuensis Monday is a blogging theme for GeneaBloggers which encourages the family historian to transcribe family letters, journals, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. The letter transcribed here today is another letter from my Aunt - Helen Still Webster. I am going to transcribe exactly as she has written it. My comments will be placed in {} marks. Happy Thanksgiving Sat. Nov. 21, 1992 My dear Jeanne & Glenn, I received your letter and glad you are working on history. That was a cute thank you card. Yes I would like to meet Glenn. {Glenn is my husband. We married 22 August 1992}. It seems I have not seen much of you lately either. At Mary Still funeral you sat with Lloyd {my maternal grandparents}. I do not know where our relatives came from. Well the only real americans are the american Indians and we are allfrom them and foreign countries. If you would go to West Chester courthouse and look up Bing & Way - my father's mother, Still, Rice, Van...