A sudden violent thunder-storm took away my Internet connection from the satellite (and television, too). It was two o’clock in the afternoon and I had been glued to the computer since six in the morning. Briefly, no electricity. I loved the smell of rain and stepped out on the porch. I noticed that the Sweet Potato vine had been blown over. While looking at my “shade garden” (with Sweet Potato vine), I suddenly questioned: “Where is the greenhouse?”  I hoped it was not in the street obstructing traffic. Gratefully, I saw it in the neighbor’s back yard (and I’ll retrieve it later). Took pictures (obviously), washed dishes, prepared corn-on-the-cob, enjoyed fresh peaches. Before I get drawn back into the “never-ending” process of documentation of my seemingly endless Frantz family, I’m taking a few minutes for this blog message.

Ancestry.com is so addictive!! I’ve been so involved, I’ve had very little to eat. I’m fixing a grilled cheese sandwich as I type this (with a tall glass of V-8). It is almost two o’clock and I’m still in my pajamas. I didn’t have breakfast, and I was trembling–perhaps from hunger?! Yesterday, I enjoyed a big slice of watermelon. Gospel truth: Last night and early this morning, I promised myself I would not start the day on Ancestry. But, I had a story in mind (for Mennonite Family History) and I needed a couple of facts. Well, one thing led to another and I was caught up in what will be another story. Without exaggeration, I worked in excess of six hours on one individual. Furthermore, she isn’t even my relative!! Martha “Mattie” Belle McClanahan was married to John Marshall Frantz.  He was a first cousin of Frank Christian Frantz, the last territorial governor of Oklahoma (my sixth cousin, two times removed). This isn’t “my tree”; this is another branch of the tree that is well-worth documentation.  All day yesterday–and this morning–endeavoring to clean up other people’s messes. I am so frustrated with the amount of erroneous information attached to individuals. When I compare my information with other individual’s trees, I see that most people just copied someone else’s information. Very few sources listed!! So I search and find Census, marriage, death, etc., etc., and document it in my tree. This morning, to solidly identify the John Marshall Frantz family, I added the city directory sources. (In many cases, I do not invest the time to document all city directories because one or two is sufficient.)

Mattie was born in 1881; her husband born in 1880, died in 1927. Okay, I’ll add her death date, too. That’s where the long hours began. I searched dozens of records (seemed like hundreds). The “hints” and individual family trees were no help; I had more information than they did!! I traced her through three subsequent marriages and eventually obtained her 7 Apr 1969 death. Imagine following McClanahan (maiden name), Frantz (first marriage), McGuffin (second),Schrader (third), Dunlap (fourth).  Below, see the record in a neat little package on Ancestry.com. Yes, in total I have twenty-six sources. Other “trees” only had eight, or less, sources.

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Changing the topic, but not the subject (lol). I wanted to find the connection to Samuel Mayer Marshall Frantz. He is a well-respected artist/illustrator. With a name like Samuel Marshall Frantz, he just had to be part of the family. Alas, on the Internet he is identified as Russian-born in 1890. Click this link to see many of his illustrations. ~~ Notable people in my tree: Joe B. Frantz, journalist and associated with Texas Highways magazine; Harry Warner Frantz, correspondent; Frank Frantz, Oklahoma governor. Others, too, but I don’t recall their names right now. (I feel an urgency to document the Frantz family while still able. So many acquaintances claim to have “senior moments”  but we know it is a problem that comes with old age.)

As a family historian, I want facts. This grave marker does not  give me any information. Frantz is her married name; I want her birth and death dates.

What is more frustrating? As I mentioned in earlier blog, not finding any information regarding the individual.

Not quite six o’clock in the morning and I’ve been up for hours!! I have two computers that are causing problems. I was computer “chatting” with a McAfee technician for more than one hour (and he had remote control). Last week I purchased “Total Protection” from McAfee–and it isn’t working!! It still isn’t working and my next experience will be with Microsoft to see if they can diagnose the problem and supply the needed updates. I’m told my problems stem from “updates” that have “failed” to install. Once problems are solved on this computer (my every day computer), I’ll try to gain access to the Dell computer (used for the family history scanning project that was interrupted by the disruptive move from the CARE Center).

I have “too much” on my mind and I cannot get a good night’s sleep. So-o-o-o many projects: The cargo trailer still has boxes of family history to scan (so I can discard); many things to sort, and haul donations to Habitat for Humanity resale store. The yard is a full-time job (which I love) but I should be “doing” other things. “Clutter” inside my trailer home is a frustration. All these on my mind–and I can’t get a full night of sleep. As mentioned in an earlier blog, I’ve tried various over-the-counter sleep aids and they have limited benefit. ZzzQuill helped (best) but last night it only provided four hours of sleep (ten PM until two AM). I wanted to go back to sleep but was wide awake so I tackled the computer problem. Usually, I just continue to lay in bed wishing I could go back to sleep. This morning I didn’t want to “waste time” “wishing I could go back to sleep.”  Lack of sleep obviously contributes to fatigue; I’m always so-o-o-o tired. I need a gardener in addition to a computer guru? It’s really tough getting old! My brain says “do” but the body says “don’t.” (Know what I mean?)

Losing my vision; new glasses are so strong it makes me feel off-balance. The second pair–for the computer–is helpful but I still need a magnifying glass. This morning, with McAfee technician, the “chat” was in tiny print so I was using computer glasses AND magnifying glass.

I don’t want to end on a negative note. I’m so grateful for my eyesight, and reasonably good health. I appreciate my trailer home parked under a roof, with wonderful shade trees in the yard. I’m blessed!!

…a picture she saw (on her travels) and it reminded her of Lorraine.

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