Monday Madness: The only madness here is the hairdo I in this picture - ugh!

1988, obviously a year that I wore my hair in an unfashionable way and jeez  those glasses - who let me walk around like this!.  This is one of the first costumes I ever made.  Jessica had to be Snow White.  The costume turned out quite well and was passed on to a little girl down the street that was also crazy for Snow White.   This was our fist year living in Tucson, Arizona.

Halloween or just for fun?

Clara Miottel and Rose Blank - Stepsisters dressed as  men.

Family History Expo Mesa Arizona

Looks like we will soon have information on the Family History Expo in Mesa that will take place January 20-21, 2012 at the Mesa Convention Center.  I encourage everyone to attend.  The event brings classes on skill building, professional research assistance, new technology, vendors, networking opportunities and loads of fun.


This is an event that will allow you to meet people with similar interests.  I urge you to meet your fellow Expo attendees, after all genealogists are the friendliest people in the world.  Networking through the last three expo's I have had the privilege of meeting fellow Geneabloggers, researchers experienced in locations that I research and  Bruce Buzbee who straightened out one of my RootsMagic files that I had somehow messed up.


It looks like the Early Bird rate will be $75 if paid prior to November 30, 2011.  That is a bargain price of less than $40 a day.  The event is all day Friday and all day Saturday.  The website promises to be updated soon.  Check this link for current information on the event:  Family History Expo Mesa Arizona


Hope to see you there!   

Help! Entry for marriage prior to marriage how to cite

Here is a copy of my third great grandfather's marriage record.  The date of the source entry is January 24th 1838 with further information stating a marriage of January 25th 1838.  I am going to stick with the January 25th date because that is the date from his obituary and bible record.  How can the entry be dated the day before?

Now on the citation should I note the entry date of 24 January 1838 and the  marriage date of 25 January 1838?

FamilySearch, Entry for John N. Poundstone and Magdeline Hampshier dated 24 January 1838, married 25 January 1838, Perry County, Book 1, Entry 228, page 247, FHL Film 910669 ; index entries derived from digital copies of original and compilted records.

Thrifty Thursday - A Few Free Government Resources

I wrote this post for the Pima County Genealogy Society blog athttp://pimacountygenealogysociety.blogspot.com/ and thought I should share the information here on my personal blog..

Part of researching is knowing where to look.  A good source for state maps with counties included are available through the census division of the government.   State maps with counties dated 2000 are available at http://www.census.gov/geo/www/maps/stco_02.htm.

The government has also produced a "Using Maps in Genealogy" document by the United States Geological Survey at  http://www.census.gov/history/pdf/mapsgenealogy.pdf.

Also available at the census site is a link to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services genealogy program pamphlet.  It can be viewed at http://www.census.gov/history/pdf/uscisgenealogyprogram.pdf.

Additional genealogy resources on the census site may be found at http://www.census.gov/history/www/reference/genealogy/.

Happy hunting!

Tuesday's Tip - Try and Try Again

My mother is in town visiting Tucson so I sat her down and went over some of her family information.  I asked her when her parents were married, where, and who married them.  Her answer - I have no idea.  They never celebrated an anniversary.  I knew (or hoped) that their marriage was prior to their son William's birth in 1923. I wrote to the counties my grandfather had lived in Indiana, no records.  I wrote to Cook County in Illinois and had a record search performed - no record.

I had been running searches for their marriage month after month and put it a side for awhile.  After talking to Mom I ran a search on Ancestry.com today and guess what!  A marriage record for Clara Miottel and William Skibbe in the Cook County Illinois Marriage Indexes, 1914-1942.  The index lists a marriage date of September 14, 1921.  According to Ancestry they posted the marriage records 17 October 2011.  The lesson learned today - run those searches over and over until you have an answer.  Thinking back on it I probably should have calendared the search for the marriage record quarterly or semi annually instead of sporadic insane searches every now and then.  I think that I will sit down with my list of searches to do and do just that - calendar them and follow through.  You never know when that database will show up on Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org or some other site as the records become available.  Ancestry's recently added databases listing can be found at http://www.ancestry.com/cs/reccol/default.

Now I need to send for the record and hopefully I will get the correct record.  After a negative response from the Clerk, a marriage license request for my parents that states they were married in a Catholic church (they were married in a Lutheran church) that was obviously incorrect - I am hoping for a real and correct record this time from the clerk.  Wish me luck.



"Cook County, Illinois Marriage Indexes, 1914-1942," database on-line, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 October 2011), entry for Clara Miottel and William Skibbe, 14 September 1921, Cook County Register Serial No. 0922407.

Thrifty Thursday -Favorite Free Ohio Genealogy Resources

I have been researching in Ohio for the Izor, Poundstone, Zeck and a few other families.   I found the following resources to be very helpful in my search for family records:

Ohio Death Certificate Database 1913-1944 http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/death// is free to view and $7.00 to order death certificate copy.  Which is a good buy since some of the counties charge more than $7.00.

Preble County Ohio genealogical and historical records at http://www.pcdl.lib.oh.us/marriage/search.cfm has scans of the original records attached.  It seems a good deal of my relatives came through or lived in Preble County.

Free Ohio Genealogy Society databases (more information available for members) :

Century Families of Ohio
First Families of Ohio Roster
Settlers and Builders of Ohio Roster
Ohio Civil War Genealogy Center Free Database SetOhio Obituary Index
Ohio Cemetery Locations Index
Wood County, OH Appearance and Execution Docket Index, 1820-1839

 The Ohio Memory website has sources from 354 repositories including grave registrations, deeds, and military records, visit http://www.ohiomemory.org/ and run a few of your own searches.

Wordless Wednesday-Mom, Matt and Amy Clark 1967

Mystery Monday - Family wiped out in a period of a month due to trains!

When researching my Skibbe family in Chicago I came across this article in the newspaper article.  I later sent for the Coroner's report that I will share at another time.  I cannot find any connection to my Skibbe's.   Here is the sad story of a family destroyed by train accidents.

VICTIMS OF THE GRADE CROSSING TRAGEDY
  Two hours after paying for the burial of their son, who was killed by a train a month ago, Mr. Skibbe, his wife, and their little daughter were killed by a Burlington train at Sixteenth street and Ashland avenue yesterday.  They were riding in a carriage owned by the undertaker they had just paid.

Chicago Daily Tribune (1872-1963); Aug. 1, 1903; ProQuest Historical Newspapers Chicago Tribune (1849-1985) page 2.

REDUCE SPEED OF TRAINS RUNNING ON GRADE TRACKS
Recommendation of Coroner's Jury at Inquest of  Skibbe Family -
Censure for Burlington Road.

  Reduction in speed of all trains entering Chicago on tracks which are not elevated was the recommendation made by a coroner's jury yesterday.  The jury also censured the Burlington railroad company in connection with the death three weeks ago of Albert Skibbe, Mrs. Elvina Skibbe, and Dorothy Skibbe, 9 years old, the evidence showing that the train was moving at high speed.
  In arriving at the verdict the jury held that many grade crossing accidents resulted from the high speed at which some trains enter the city and recommended that the speed be reduced as a precaution against similar accidents.
  Skibbe lived with his family at 847 Girard street, and he and his family were killed while driving over the crossing at Ashland avenue and Sixteenth street.  According to Deputy Coroner Hyland the jury also believed that the towerman should have been in his place and that the gates should have been down.

Chicago Daily Tribune (1872-1963); Aug. 13, 1903; ProQuest Historical Newspapers Chicago Tribune (1849-1985) 

Family Recipe Friday - Aunt Peggy's Dishpan Cookies

Here is another one of Aunt Peggy's cookie recipes.  I make this one almost every year.


Dishpan Cookies
2 c brown sugar
2 c white sugar
2 c liquid shortening
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups four
1 1/2 c quick oatmeal
4 c corn flakes
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
Cream sugar, shortenings, eggs, and vanilla.  Mix together flour, oatmeal,baking soda, corn flakes and salt.  Gradually mix into the sugar mixture.  If dough is stiff, add a small amount of milk.  Dough should look dry but hold together.  Roll into small balls.  Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 325° for 8 to 10 minutes.  

Week #41 – Teachers

Week 41. Teachers. Did you have a favorite teacher when you were growing up? What class(es) did this person teach and why did he/she make an impact on your life?

Their are two teachers that made a difference in my life. The first teacher that spark my life was Mrs. Gagnon.  She taught second grade at Forest View Elementary School in Mount Prospect, Illinois.   We had just moved to the area and Mrs. Gagnon introduced me to other students and made my beginning at the school a success.  She also loved to sing silly songs and had us up and out of our seats doing hand movements and singing at the top of our lungs.  She also instilled a love of reading.  She encouraged up to have our own adventure reading.  The more we read the more recognition we would have in class.

The second teacher that made a profound impression on me was Mrs. Bond who taught business law and some other classes at Forest View High School in Arlington Heights, Illinois.  She was a no nonsense woman that exposed us to the real world.  She dabbled in accounting, law, research and how to find the truth.  I often think that is why I became a private investigator - she taught us that why was a reasonable request, not a question to be ignored.  

I know that without having these special woman in my life my outlook might have been different than it is today. I thank both of them for giving me the joy of reading and the confidence to always ask why.

 52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History is a series of prompts by Amy Coffin of the We Tree blog (http://wetree.blogspot.com/)

Wordless Wednesday - Rev. Cecil Skibbe

SKIBBE, CECIL H.; Jan. 5, 1923, North Judson, Indiana to May 3, 2011, Cincinnati, Ohio; son of George and Alma (Spenner) Skibbe; graduated Springfield, 1947.  Served 1947-1987.  Ministries/parishes:  Cissna Park, Chenoa, Lexington, Ill.; Indianapolis, Bloomington, Ind.; retired 1987.  Survivors:  Helen (Lovekamp) Skibbe; sons:  Ronald, John; daughter:  Faith.  Interment May 10, 2011, Bloomington, Ind.

The Lutheran Witness

August 2011

http://witness.lcms.org/pages/wPage.asp?IssueID=57&ContentType=Notices

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Your Genealogy Database Statistics

Saturday Night!  Time for more Genealogy Fun! This prompt is brought to the genealogy community by Randy Seaver at http://www.geneamusings.com


Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to:
1)  If you have your family tree research in a Genealogy Management Program (GMP), whether a computer software program or an online family tree, figure out how to find how many persons, places, sources, etc. are in your database (hint:  the Help button is your friend!).
2)  Tell us which GMP you use, and how many persons, places, sources, etc. are in your database(s) today in a blog post of your own, in a comment to this blog post, or in a Facebook status or Google+ stream comment.


I use RootsMagic software.  This is my cleaned out version of my research.  I pruned limbs that I had no verification on.  I did save that information in other databases in RootsMagic.


My Research Database:

*  People: 3373
*  Families:  672
*  Events: 3535
*  Alternate names: 381
*  Places: 597
*  Sources: 570
*  Citations: 2734
*  Repositories: 63
*  To-do tasks: 155
*  Multimedia items: 663
*  Multimedia links: 766
*  Addresses: 19
*  Correspondence: 2

Family Recipe Friday-Aunt Peggy's Monster Cookies

Christmas is right around the corner and I have already started my holiday baking.  I thought I would share a few of my families recipes. My Aunt Peggy passed away in 2009.  Here are two of her cookie recipes.  Enjoy!

Monster Cookies
1 doz eggs
4 c white sugar
1Tbsp honey or Karo Syrup
3 lb. peanut butter
1 lb. chocolate chips
2 lb. brown sugar
1 lb. butter
8 tsp. baking soda
1 lb. M&M's

Mix in order.  Scoop in ice cream scoop onto baking sheet (I make my cookies about half that size).  Flatten slightly.  Bake 350° for 10-12 minutes.  They will be soft upon removal so let cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes.  Makes 10-11 dozen very large cookies.

Holiday Sugar Roll-out Cookies
1 1/2 c confectioners sugar
1 cup margarine
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond flavoring
2 1/2 c flour
1 tsp soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
Cream sugar and margarine.  Mix in egg and flavorings.  Stir in dry ingredients together; blend in to sugar-margarine mixture.  Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours.  Heat oven to 375°.  Using half the dough at a time, roll out to 3/16 inch thickness.  Cut into shapes.  Please on lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake 7-8 minutes until lighly browned.  Cool and ice as desired.

Wordless Wednesday - William Skibbe Jr.

William Skibbe 1948, Chicago, Illinois 

Week #40 – Trouble - What happened when you got in trouble?

This weeks prompt for Week 40: Trouble. 
What happened when you got into trouble as a child? What was punishment like in your home?


When my mother or father was angry with me I would get sent to my room.  My room was actually one of my favorite places to be.  I had my books, my animals (birds, hamsters, guinea pigs, the cat - great napping company), a television, a stereo, everything I really enjoyed.  I do remember storming off and slamming my door but once I got to my room everything was fine.   


The one thing I do remember is the guilt.  I always felt guilty for being bad.  My parents yelled and then there was the talk:   "We know you are better then this" or the famous "We are so disappointed in your behavior".  The guilt was worse than any banishment to the room or chore I was require to do.  Somehow to this day I think my parents still use the guilt method on me, heaven knows I respond well to it.  


There may be a guilt gene in the family.  One of my youngest children would put herself in time out at the preschool.  The director would tell me about her time spent in timeout - the pat response was"I did something wrong, I was naughty and I don't want to discuss it".  The director thought as long as she was a happy child I shouldn't worry about it.  We never learned what "bad behavior" she did.  She did have a habit of cocking her head and saying Oy vey - I still to this day have no idea where she learned that.  






52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History by Amy Coffin is a series of weekly blogging prompts (one for each week of 2011) that invite genealogists and others to record memories and insights about their own lives for future descendants.