The Genealogy Search

Great Aunt Anne Skibbe, Grandfather William Skibbe, and Lorraine Clark Skibbe on her wedding day.  Note the apron - Mom put out a spread for guests. January 1961

William Skibbe, World War II

William Skibbe's Republican National Committee Certificate 304185 1936 

William, Ella, Julia Ann, Edward, George, and Wilhelm Skibbe.  North Judson, Indiana circa 1920

Bottom Row:  Lorraine and her father William Skibbe Top Row:  Aunt Ann, Clara (Lorraine's mom) and Uncle Edward Skibbe cir 1950 Chicago, Illinois

Otis Clark WWI William Skibbe WWI Edward Skibbe WWII Harold Clark Marines 1949 Lloyd Clark Marines 1952 William Skibbe Jr WWII William Strahan 

William and Clara Skibbe, William and Loretta Skibbe( Vlchek, Todd) , Minnie Vlchek and Loretta's daughter Holly 

William Skibbe

Visiting my mother in North Carolina yielded a plethora of genealogical goodies.  Among my grandfather's papers that my mother had possession of was his Honorable Discharge dated August 4, 1919.  I am having difficulty making out the Battles, engagement, skirmishes, and expeditions on the Enlistment Record but I am thrilled to have the paper in my possession.   My mother also gave me his book The Forty-Seventh Infantry, A History 1917-1918  1919 copyrighted in 1929 by James E. Pollard.  The book is a record of events and incidents of the 47th Infantry.  Included are photographs of the Battalions and Companies that made up the 47th Infantry and maps of Action at Sergy, France; St. Thibalt, France and the Argonne Offensive.  My Grandfather is not listed in any of the Battalion or Company photos.  If you have a relative that served in the 47th Infantry I would be happy check the book  to see if they are inclu...

Otis Elmer Clark, Army, World War I  Lloyd Clark, Marine William Skibbe, Army, World War I William Skibbe, Jr., Army, World War II 

William, Ella, Julia Ann and Wilhelm, first row:  Edward and George Skibbe 

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 sea...

So I should be working on the handout for the genealogy class I am teaching on Tuesday, but I was distracted by the website for requesting SSA-711 Internet Requests for deceased Individuals Social Security Application. You can order onilne at  https://secure.ssa.gov/apps9/eFOIA-FEWeb/internet/main.jsp, it took less than fifteen minutes to order four records.  I ordered records for Frank Urman, Ora Poundstone, Otis Clark, and William Skibbe.  Now I wonder just how long it takes for them to process the requests made on line. Technically I was just looking for websites to share with my class when I started doing requests.  I guess  better stay off the internet and immerse my self in my word processing program and just get it done so I can play so more.  I am already thinking of other relatives that I could order requests for.  Save me from myself...

  This photo is of a pontoon bridge used during WWI.  My mother stated that her father told her that the pontoon bridge was used temporarily to cross rivers during the war.  Her father stated that he obtained the picture during the war, she could not remember whether he said he helped put the bridge together or not.

Among my grandfather's papers my mother had kept is the tax receipt below.  The clues in the document (or what remains of the document) are the name of what was taxed - apparently Hannah Ditch Cause No. 8024 Starke Circuit Court, the location - either Starke or Pulaski Counties in Indiana, and a partial description SW SW - SW SE of Section 34-32-3 and the date, 28 June 1922.  A World War I Registration Card does show William A. Skibbe living in Denham, Pulaski County in the year 1917.  Census records in 1920 indicate he was living in Wayne, Starke, Indiana.  In 1924 his address was listed as Chicago, Cook, Illinois on one of his children's birth certificates.  Can anyone provide any clues to this receipt?

 Willam Adolph Emil Skibbe's cerificate of baptism.  Dated June 10, 1943, this certificate indicates that William's Baptism occured on December 6th, 1890 at St. Mattew Ev Lutheran Church, Chicago, Illinois by Rev. H. Engelbrecht. 

William Skibbe at Portage Park, Chicago, Illinois 1945

I recently had to break into the treasure chest (The Bank) to pay for the archival framing of my Grandfather's souvenir sweetheart pillow from WWI purchased in France.  I previously posted a picture of this treasure on 4 March 20 10.  I paid extra to have additional stitching put in to support the lace, extra for the museum quality glass.  In two weeks I will have my treasure returned to me safety mounted to preserve it from additional harm.  My mother kept it folded in quarters in a cedar chest.  I am looking forward to having this treasure displayed on the wall rather than hidden away.   I have found that family treasures that I display in my home generate stories and information sharing.   This happens not only with family members but guests in my home.   I have learned about other grandfathers’ war experiences, the lives of my family members, and traditions within and outside the family. The clerk at the framing shop also shared her stori...

Sweetheart pillow cover from World War I brought back from France by William Adolph Skibbe.