Monthly Archives: August 2020
Eleven-thousand word essay
Channel surfing
God bless Texas
Pray for California & Louisiana
More “one-track-mind” ?
Without a doubt, I have “a one-track-mind.” Here’s a link to my blog message in August 2019. Read the message from August 2018 and you’ll agree that I sound like a broken record.
Safe to say: Lorraine’s consistent.
One thing is different this year: I’m staying home and staying safe. It is my hope and prayer that I do not fall victim to the Coronavirus.
“Spirit” led
“A still small voice” has been directing my path lately.
I’ve been criticized for my faith and my political persuasion. As undoubtedly observed, I spend a lot of time climbing trees. My Old German Baptist Brethren ancestors (and Mennonite, and Quaker) were devoted to faith and family. I’ve followed in their footsteps. I’ve marveled, and praised God, when information about an elusive family member suddenly appears on my computer screen. “A still small voice” says “search here” and/or “save.” A few hours later I’m (unscheduled) on that branch of the tree and documenting another “cousin.” ~~ “Ancestry” and Ancestry.com has been a God-given blessing !!
Twenty years and counting
Yes, this is a repeat from an earlier year. “Twenty years” if you look at the date on the picture; “thirty-plus years” if we go back to the beginning of my Frantz-family research. Just like I enjoy revisiting my T@B Teardrop Trailer Travels, I enjoy revisiting some of my earlier blog messages.
“Humor me”?!
- Genealogists are always in a family way!
- Genealogists are family tree huggers!
- Genealogists are forebear hunters!
- Genealogy is not done until the “past lady” sings!
- Genealogy is simply TREEific!
- Genealogy disease: Gensomnia.
- How a genealogist greets a stranger: “Are you sure we aren’t related?”
- How a genealogist greets another genealogist. “Would you like to join my famclub?”
- How a genealogist introduces his children: “I’d like you to meet my descendants!”
- How a genealogist introduces his parents: “Have you met my ancestors?”
- I’m ancestrally challenged!
- If you want to have some fun, say “Who’s your daddy?” to a room full of genealogists and watch the heads turn.
- It’s hard to be humble with ancestors like mine!
- Money doesn’t grow on trees—but ancestors do!
- Murphy’s law of genealogy: After solving a dead end ancestor mystery that consumed your entire adult life, your sister reports, “I could have told you that!”
- Murphy’s law of genealogy: Paying for a vital record and then finding it right under your nose!
- Old genealogists never die. They just haunt archives.
- Organization to help with genealogy addiction: AA (Ancestors Anonymous).
- Popular sign in a cemetery: “Dead End.”
- The best ancestors want to be found!
- The “mother lode” of genealogy is discovering a great grandmother’s maiden name.
- Time and genealogy wait for no man!
- To a genealogist, the expression “Mother Nature” takes on a whole new meaning!
- Transcribers of headstones generally work the graveyard shift!
- True genealogists wonder why the Academy Awards don’t have a category for best microfilm!
- Ultimate success to a genealogist: Proving that Elvis isn’t dead!
- What a genealogist should not say on a blind date: “Isn’t it great? I did your tree and we’re related!”
- You know you’re a genealogist if you find the certainty of ancestral death and tax records exciting. (Paraphrased from Ben Franklin’s “Certainty? In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes.”)
- If you think Castle Garden is something out of a fairy tale, you’re probably not a genealogist!
- More Here is an old epitaph bromide: On an old tombstone was the following quote,
“Pause stranger, when you pass me by, As you are now so once was I. As I am now, so you will be. So prepare for death and follow me.” Below that epitaph, someone scratched the following, “To follow you I’m not content, Until I know which way you went.”2) Headstone epitaph: “This is the damndest thing I’ve ever done.”3) “You know you’re a genealogist when you watch a movie that has a scene in a graveyard, and you’re distracted from the plot by trying to transcribe the tombstones.”
Above copied from a website and (shame on me) I failed to record the address.
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As stated earlier (several months ago), I am “paying it forward.” I’m intentionally expanding documentation (on Ancestry) for “cousins” who shared information decades ago. Those “cousins” are frolicking around Heaven with their ancestors while I lovingly labor here on Earth.
Rosemary has a special place in my heart. About 1987, she provided the connection to my immigrant ancestor Michael Frantz. I had my information back to a great-great-grandfather but it didn’t match documentation of descendants of Michael Frantz. Within days of initial correspondence, a reply saying my documentation was “subsequent marriage.” ~~
Rosemary is an “eighth cousin” because (like a pyramid) we go “way back” to immigrant ancestors who were brothers. In August 2000, Rosemary gave me every scrap of paper, every piece of research, trusting that I would merge it with my data. In 2017, I scanned all her paperwork and published it to the Internet. It can be found on Digitized Library of Family History.
Here’s a blog message from 2017: Inquiring minds want to know.
Below is the comment I found while examinating Rosemary’s material for dates, and individuals, in her extended family.
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Compiler comment: In January of 1987, Rosemary provided the
“missing link.” She immediately recognized that the difficulty
I experienced was a “subsequent marriage.” (Specifically the
two marriages of David Frantz [1817-1905], son of Michael
[1791-18601.) This dear lady has provided manilla envelopes
full of information. Every Frantz-family researcher that 1
contact has had correspondence with Rosemary. A BIG BOUQUET to
my ‘seventh cousin one time removed”!!
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