31 May 2010

Happy Anniversary

My parents, Bruce David Glover and Audrey Jane Fredricks met in January of 1951. Here is the meeting in my dad's own words:

THE GREATEST DAY OF MY LIFE

On a cold winter day in mid January of 1951 with snow on the ground and a winter storm forecast I was eating my lunch in the school cafeteria (I believe it was a Wednesday) when Supt. Dunnavan dropped by and asked me if I would supervise the gym that evening as the town team was scheduled for a game with Manistee, which I had no problem with. I just needed to be there to see things run smoothly, open, close, gym, put out the lights, etc. As it turned out little did I think my life would forever change that beautiful stormy evening. The opponents because of the weather did not show up and the town team along with several spectators simply continued to shoot baskets. One young lady in particular caught my eye. When I told her it was ok to shoot baskets but please remove her street shoes, she replied something to the effect would I see her socks got washed or something close to that. I can honestly say after watching her awhile that I had to know more about her. I don't think I ever saw such a combination of beauty and athletic ability and wondered where in the world she came from. I was smoking in those days and went to boiler room for a few puffs and first thing I did was ask Ross Cook the janitor who that gal was. He said she was a Fredrick’s girl. I assumed she was an older sister to Ray, Norman, and Jeannie all of whom I either had in class or participated on the Baseball and JV basketball teams which I coached. She was with a secretary at the school Mickey Fredricks who was married to one of her older brothers. I think I might have mentioned something to Mickey the next day but put it out of my mind for the time being.

Anyway that Friday night we had an out of town game and afterwards I stopped in at Jim Barr’s house (the high school Principal) who frequently entertained coaches and teachers after a game. Lo and behold who was there but Audrey Fredricks the girl from the gym. I immediately started up a conversation with her and it didn’t take very long to make up my mind that this was a girl I wanted to get to know better. I walked her home that evening all of one block to her sister Kate’s home which was just up the street from where I was living. It was hard for me to believe I had been in Brethren for 5 months and just noticed her for the first time. I asked her for a date that night and we went bowling with Junie and Nancy Anderson to Manistee that Sunday.



They were engaged in the spring of 1951. Their announcement was in the Manistee News-Advocate, Manistee, Michigan paper on 4 May 1951.


They were married 31 May 1952 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Onekema, Michigan. (Left to Right in Picture Marilyn "Mickey" Fredricks, Norma Jean Fredricks, Norman Eugene Fredricks, Audrey Fredricks Glover, Pastor, Bruce David Glover, John Fredricks, Francis 'Hank' Glover, Richard L. Fredricks)


I am blessed to still have my parents in my life. They are celebrating 58 years of marriage, today. Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

29 May 2010

Surname Saturday: Powers

The surname Powers is English/Irish in origin. The Powers side of my family includes:

Vinera Eglantine Powers
  • Birth: 18 July 1802
  • Marriage: Samuel Stillman Glover (Sr) 23 April 1817
  • Death: 14 February 1847, Oceola, Livingston, Michigan
William Powers and ?
Unfortunately, I haven't researched this side of the family much. I don't consider this a brickwall because of the little time I have spent on this family. Do you have anything to add to this line, leave me a note. Thanks.

27 May 2010

Fort Custer National Cemetery


Fort Custer National Cemetery is six miles west of Battle Creek, Michigan. It is on 770 acres midway between Detroit, Michigan and Chicago, Illinois. It was named after General George Armstrong Custer, a native of Michigan. In 1943, when the first internment took place, it was known as Fort Custer Post Cemetery. It became a national cemetery in 1982.

I have had the privilege of attending services at Fort Custer. A Memorial Day ceremony is held on the Sunday before Memorial Day every year, at 2PM. This ceremony is a lovely tribute to our nation's heroes. In addition, committal services are held with about 1000 burials a year being conducted.


The cemetery is open to the public from dawn to dusk daily. When entering the flag lined drive you will come upon a grave site locator kiosk. Here you can use a computerized grave site locator or notebook binders to locate those who are buried here. Maps are available at the kiosk also. A nationwide locator for those buried in national cemeteries can be found at http://www.cem.va.gov/

Fort Custer National Cemetery is a beautiful and peaceful place. The large grounds are kept in a manner that honors our servicemen and women. For more information contact: Fort Custer National Cemetery, 15501 Dickman Road, Augusta, Michigan 49012 269 731-4164

25 May 2010

Tombstone Tuesday: Norman Eugene Fredricks




Norman Eugene Fredricks was born 18 December 1934 in Manistee County, Michigan and died 24 September 1995 in Manistee County, Michigan. He is buried in Brethren Cemetery, Brethren, Manistee, Michigan. He never married.

22 May 2010

Surname Saturday: Livengood

The surname LIVENGOOD is the Americanized version of Leibendgut. Leibengut is Swiss-German in origin. It has been written as Livengood and Levengood in America. Records show the family name back to 1550, in Aarwangen, Canton of Berne, Switzerland. The name, Livengood, can be found in Switzerland today. The surname is believed to come from the saying ""Mein Leib und mein Gut" to mean My life and my good"


Immigrant Peter Livengood arrived in the United States in 1750, sailing aboard the ship Phoenix. He settled in Berks County, Pennsylvania. He married Barbara Nafziger in 1760 in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Other Livengood's in my family tree are Christian(1761-1837), John Christian(1801-1859) and Anna Nancy(1832-1883).

21 May 2010

Follow Friday: Western Michigan Genealogical Society

The Western Michigan Genealogical Society online searchable database has been a help to me in my genealogical journey. The database has more than 2 million records online-some free, some you use pay pal for. The WMGS database has been online for 10 years now. Highlights of the database are:
  • West Michigan Newspapers-index to death notices and obituaries from the Grand Rapids Press and Grand Rapids Herald, 1910-present. Also, engagement, wedding and anniversary announcements.
  • Kent County School Census
  • WWI Veteran's Census-for Kent County, Michigan
  • Michigan Census Index-for West Michigan counties
  • Index to Kent County Deaths
  • Index to Kent County Marriages
  • 1881 History of Kent County
  • Surname and Query Post Section
  • plus, much more.

Check the Western Michigan Genealogical Society database for those ancestors from Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan and surrounding area.

19 May 2010

The Genealogy Software That Works for Me: Roots Magic


Sometime last year I was looking for a new genealogy software program to use. I had started with PAF and thought it was time to upgrade. I posted a question on twitter asking for recommendations. The program that was recommended the most was Roots Magic. I went to Roots Magic.com and signed up for the free trial. I tried it for two days and liked it so much that I bought it.

There are so many aspects of Roots Magic that I like that it is hard to narrow it down for a blog post. Here are a few of Roots Magic's benefits:

Ease of Use
  • importing files

  • entering data

  • finding people in database

  • ability to automatically search web sites from the web search view

Facts

  • large variety of facts that allows one to build an ancestor's life with detail

  • ability to share facts with others in your database. This saves one from having to document the same information and source for many individuals who share the fact. (ie. census)

Sources

  • wide selection of source templates

  • writes sources in the proper format

  • allows you to select the quality of the source (original vs. derivative, primary vs. secondary, and direct vs. indirect)

Reports and Lists


  • wide selection of reports and lists options (pedigree, family group, address list, birthday, duplicates, missing information, places, repository, source, statistics, timeline, to-do, and more)

  • one list I like to use is the source list. It will print a single source list or all sources in the database. For the single source list, it will print every use for that source. This comes in handy when going to a repository. You can see what information you have already found and for what individuals per source.



Another plus for Roots Magic is the Roots Magic To Go feature. This gives you the ability to take your data with you easily by transferring it to a flash drive.

I have barely touched on all the wonderful parts of the program. There are parts of it I have yet to use: DNA test, mapping, wall charts, family web site and LDS support. There is a book, "Getting the Most Out of Roots Magic 4" by Bruce Buzbee that is a great companion to the software.


What genealogy software works for you?

17 May 2010

Monday Madness: Johann August Fredrick


My maternal great grandfather, Johann August Fredrick is a brick wall in my research. He was born 8 Jan 1845 in Germany. His obituary states he came from Paden, Germany. The family believes he came from Posen, Germany. I have not been able to verify either of these. The 1880 United States Federal Census lists his birthplace as Prussia. He came to Manistee County, Michigan in 1872 and was naturalized in 1909. The naturalization records are not available for Manistee County, Michigan.

Johann August, also known as August, had three sisters: Amelia Fredrick married Leo Englehuber, Henriette Fredrick married John Zobel, and a third sister married August Guske. I have tried researching the sisters to find out more to no avail. So, I patiently wait for any new piece of information that will lead me down a new path. Any suggestions on where to go next?

15 May 2010

Surname: Wrightweasner

The surname WRIGHTWEASNER is unique in my family tree. I do not know the origin, it may be German. I have not been able to find much about the name. I wonder sometimes if I have the correct spelling.

Mary Wrightweasner married Casper Graf around 1848. She was born about 1830 in Germany. She died 13 June 1898 in North Grove, Miami, Indiana.

13 May 2010

Ancestor Biography-Frank H. Glover

Frank H. Glover, my paternal great grandfather, was born in August of 1862, during the Civil War. His father, Samuel Stillman Glover (Jr.) was serving with Company H, 1st Regiment, Engineers and Mechanics, Michigan at the time of his birth. Samuel enlisted in December of 1861 and he probably didn't know he was leaving a pregnant wife when he enlisted.

Frank H. was one of ten children born to Samuel Stillman Glover, Jr and Adaline L. Dyer. Their children were Charles W. (1859), William E. (1861), Frank H. (1862), Mary J (1864), Louis B (1866), Laura J. (1869), Sarah (1871), Emma and Emerson (1873), and Walter S. (1875).

The family was living in Lenawee County in southeastern Michigan from 1860-1862. By the time Frank was 8, he was living and attending school in Manistee, Michigan. (Source: 1870 U.S. Federal Census)


The 1880 U.S. Federal Census finds Frank and his family living on Western Avenue, Muskegon, Michigan. Frank is working as a grocer's clerk.


On 12 May 1882, Frank H. Glover married Hattie L. Fenn in Jackson, Michigan with Pastor JW Hough officiating. pastor of the 1st Congregational Church in Jackson.


Frank and Hattie were married for 43 years. They had four children: Harry (1883-1950), Claude R (1884-1960), Adeline E. (1898-1993), and Merle M. (1902-1981).


Frank and Hattie can be found in the following United States Federal Census records:
  • 1900-Crystal Lake Township, Benzie, Michigan

  • 1910-Marquette, Marquette, Michigan
(The above two census records lists Catherine Wheeler living with them and her relationship as mother-in-law. This is inaccurate because Hattie Fenn Glover's mother was Elizabeth Poore Fenn. So, who is Catherine Wheeler? A question I have put on my to-do list.)
  • 1920-Marquette, Marquette, Michigan




Frank H. Glover died 7 October 1925 at the age of 63. He died of a heart attack suffered on his first day of work at Powder Mill in Marquette, Michigan.



The Mining Journal, Marquette, Michigan 8 October 1925
Burial Permit found at J.M. Longyear Reasearch Library in Marquette, Michigan

Frank H. Glover is buried in Park Cemetery, Marquette, Michigan. The year of his birth on his gravestone is 1863 instead of 1862. The records (marriage, census, burial permit, and death certificate) support the 1862 date.

11 May 2010

Tombstone Tuesday: Valentine Graf and Nancy Mast Graf

Graf
Valentine---- Nancy D.
1865-1933---- 1871-1908

Valentine Graf was born 14 December 1865 in Amboy, Miami, Indiana to Casper Graf and Mary Wrightweasner Graf. He died 13 January 1933 in Brethren, Manistee, Michigan.

Nancy Mast Graf was born 23 February 1871 in Somerset, Somerset, Pennsylvania to David Samuel Mast and Anna Nancy Livengood Mast. She died 18 January 1908 in Brethren, Manistee Michigan.

Valentine Graf and Nancy Mast Graf are buried in Brethren Cemetery, Brethren, Manistee, Michigan. Brethren Cemetery is at the corner of N. High Bridge Road and Coates Highway.

08 May 2010

Surname Saturday: Poor(e)

The surname Poor is English in origin. It is a variant of Power. It has been written as Poor and Poore. The Poor side of my family arrived in the United States in 1638 coming from England.

Immigrant Daniel Poor was born about 1624 in Wiltshire, England. He married Mary Farnum 20 October 1650 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts. He died 8 June 1689 in Andover, Essex, Massachusetts.

Other Poor's that I am descended from include: Daniel (II), Enoch, Moses, Moses Augustus, Samuel B to Elizabeth. Elizabeth Poor married Daniel Fenn. They had a daughter, Hattie Fenn. Hattie is my great grandmother.

06 May 2010

Cite Your Sources Easily

I admit when I first started researching my family history I wasn't good at citing my sources. I was more interested in getting names and dates on my family tree. After a few times of wondering, "where did I get that information from?" I started doing a better job. I also switched to Roots Magic genealogy software and wanted to do a good job with sourcing. Then, I figured out I was invariably forgetting to get one piece of information from the source. Usually, the page number! So, I developed a source summary sheet to help me record the information. I use this mostly when I go to libraries. I have used it with google books and the books on ancestry.com too. I usually write the library name at the top of the sheet. I even use it to record sources I have looked at and didn't find anything in. In that case, I usually put an O with a line through it in the page # column. It has been helpful when I go back to the library, I know what I have looked at. I keep the filled in sheets in a file folder alphabetically by repository name. A completed sheet is below. Do you have an easy way to keep track of your sources? Share it in the comment section.



01 May 2010

Surname Saturday: Dyer

The Surname DYER is early medieval English in origin. It has been written as Dyer, Dwyer and Dyre. The Dyer surname follows the occupation tradition of surnames; being for someone who changes the color(dyes) of something, usually cloth.

The Dyer's in my family include: Adeline Dyer. She was born March, 1838 in New York, United States. She married Samuel Stillman Glover (Jr.) on 2 Aug 1857 in Lenawee County, Michigan.

Adeline is the daughter of William G. Dyer and Mary Ann Swallow. William G. Dyer was born 8 February 1814 in New York, USA. He died 8 May 1875 in Adrian, Lenawee, Michigan. William can be found in the 1850 U.S. Federal Census living in Cazenovia, Madison, New York.

William is another brick wall in my research. I haven't found Williams parents or where he was born in New York.