Week 2: Pennsylvania-Genealogy by the States

Jim Sanders at Hidden Genealogy Nuggets website and blog has created the Genealogy by the States blogging prompt, suggesting each week we blog about an ancestor or one of our families that have a connection to that state.  This week's state is Pennsylvania.
My connection to Pennsylvania comes from my mother's Mast ancestry.  Immigrant Jacob Mast is the earliest Pennsylvania settler in my ancestry, coming to the United States when many Germans were immigrating to Pennsylvania, the 1700's.  Other Pennsylvania surnames include:  Berkey, Forney, Hershberger, Livengood, Schrock, and Seese. 
A book written by Eli Mast titled Mast:  1737 Immigrant Jacob Mast,  that I found at Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana, details Jacob's life.  I have used this book to find clues for further research.  It details Jacob's immigration to Pennsylvania.  The book states that Jacob Mast immigrated in 1737 aboard the ship, Charming Nancy.  He is listed aboard the Charming Nancy which arrived in the United States in November of 1738. 
Jacob Mast lived most of his life in Berks County, Pennsylvania.  He died in March 1772 leaving a family that has expanded and flourished throughout the United States. 
Here are a few of the many internet sources I have used to research my Pennsylvania ancestry.  Click on each on to be taken to that website.

1. Historical Society of Pennsylvania
2. Historical Maps of Pennsylvania
3. Pennsylvania State Archives
4. Mennonite Heritage Center
5. Cyndi's List-Pennsylvania

Where in the World is David Watt?

One of the first places genealogists look for information on their ancestors is in census records.  United States Census records can be found through Family Search and Heritage Quest for free.  Heritage Quest is available through many local libraries.   

I am compiling that information for my ancestors in table format, once a month.  This month shows where David Watt can be found in the Scotland Census and United States Federal Census.  I am missing the 1871 Scotland Census.  David immigrated to Canada in 1879 and the United States in 1881, causing him to miss the 1880 U. S. Census and the 1881 Census of Canada.

FACT	DATE	PLACE OF RESIDENCE	ENUMERATION DISTRICT/PAGE ID./DWELLING
Birth	25 Sep 1858	Methil, Fife, Scotland
Census	1861	Wemyss, Fife, Scotland
Census	1900	Marquette, Marquette, Michigan, United States	116/9/160
Census	1910	Marquette, Marquette, Michigan, United States	191/8B/174
Census	1920	Marquette, Marquette, Michigan, United States	235/13A/230
Census	1930	Marquette, Marquette, Michigan, United States	52-22/7A/142
Census	1940	Marquette, Marquette, Michigan, United States	52-28/13B/260
Death	21 Mar 1945	Marquette, Marquette, Michigan, United States

                                                                                    

Lt. Col. Merle M. Glover-Tombstone Tuesday

My great uncle Merle M. Glover's obituary said he was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, but when I used the Veteran's Gravesite Locator I could not find him.  The reason for that is that Arlington National Cemetery has its' own gravesite locator website.  After I requested a photo through Find a Grave I discovered that Arlington National Cemetery website has a picture there, too.

Next, I found his memorial at Find-a-Grave and requested a photo.  David McInturff graciously accepted the request and posted three marvelous pictures there.  Lt. Col Merle M. Glover and his wife, Violet Genevieve (Dout) Glover, are buried there in Section 53 Gravesite 1828.

Photo credit David McInturff

 MERLE M

GLOVER

LTC

US ARMY

WORLD WAR I & II

JAN 21 1902

NOV 12 1981

 Photo credit David McInturff

53   1828

VIOLET 

GENEVIEVE

HIS WIFE

DEC 20 1907

DEC 27 1984

Photo credit David McInturff

The website for Arlington National Cemetery provides a location map with the search results.  The green number 1 shows the location of the burial.  The picture below is in hybrid mode, you can click imagery for another view and map for the map view. 

Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia 

Cemetery Map Locator

If you click on the number on the website, it provides birth date, death date, burial date, section and grave site information, and a picture.  

Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia

Information and Picture

Merle McKinley Glover was born 21 January 1902 to Frank H. Glover and Hattie Lodema Fenn Glover.  He married Genevieve Dout 31 May 1927.  They had two daughters, Marylyn and Barbara.  I wrote a previous post about Merle running off to Canada to join the military here.  He made a career in the military, retiring as a Lt. Colonel.

Happy Birthday, Travis

Our son, Travis, is celebrating a birthday today and I plan on reminiscing about his second birthday.

We were living in Battle Creek, Michigan on WahWahTaySee Way at the time of Travis' 2nd birthday.  Kirsten and I took Travis to Bill Knapp's for lunch.  Bill Knapp's was a great place to celebrate birthdays.  The children's menu had their meals labeled with animal names.  Kirsten and Travis liked ordering that way.  They gave the birthday person a free chocolate Celebration cake and "Happy Birthday" was played over the loud speaker.  My kids loved Bill Knapp's and their chocolate cake.  We were sad when it closed.  Bill Knapp's Celebration Cake recipe was purchased by Awrey's and can be found at some grocery stores now.

 Travis trying to put his soccer goal together as his sister, Kirsten, looks on.

Kirk was working at Minges Brook Elementary that day.  When he got home Travis opened his presents.  Kirsten got Travis a Little Tikes Ferry boat.  Other gifts he got were a Fisher Price soccer set, clothes, wooden peg sorter (which I still have) and money.

Travis opening clothes, he looks happy.  The Little Tikes ferry boat is in the background.

We weren't living near any family at this time, so we had a quiet dinner with just the four of us.  I had made a small cake, so he got two cakes for his second birthday!  Travis is living in Florida now and I hope he has a great birthday.  

Happy Birthday, Travis!!

Happy Birthday, Alayna

Happy Birthday, Alayna!

Our son, Travis, is dating a wonderful young lady named Alayna.  Today is her birthday.  Happy Birthday!  I hope your year is as special as you are.

Facebook for Genealogy-Family Group

Are you looking for a way to connect with family members?  Try Facebook Groups.  I started a Fredricks Genealogy group on Facebook in 2010.  I thought it would be a great place to share family information and pictures with family members who might not read a blog regularly.  This group covers information on the family of my grandparents, Otto August Fredricks and Daisy Ellen Graf.

I am so pleased with the results of this group.  My hope was that this would be a place to connect with family members.  I hoped we could open up our photo albums and share; and share, they did.

One of the pictures shared was an early photo of my aunt, Lola Fredricks Brown.  I had never seen it.  Her granddaughter shared it along with their wedding photo.

Lola Fredricks Brown, date unknown

Another one I loved seeing was of the twins, Norma Jean 'Jeannie' and Norman Eugene Fredricks and their cousin, Rose Marie.  It is precious, and another one I don't know if I would have seen if it wasn't posted by Rose Marie's daughter.  A discussion ensued on facebook about this that was fun to read.

L-R Norma Jean 'Jeannie', Norman Eugene, and Rose Marie taken on the Fredricks Farm, Brethren, Michigan

In December, I started posting mystery pictures.  Some I knew who were in it and a couple I didn't know.  The first one I posted was of Valentine Graf and Nancy Mast on their wedding day in 1888.  Valentine and Nancy Mast Graf were Daisy Graf Fredricks parents.  It was a photo I was sure no one had seen before.  It was fun to see the guesses.  Eventually, someone guessed correctly and then I re-posted it with the information about it.

Valentine Graf and Nancy Mast, 24 November 1888, Indiana

The pictures I didn't know about were solved by other family members.  I posted baby pictures, Christmas pictures, etc.  My cousins seemed to enjoy the guessing games, from these posts stories started coming out.  I was even contacted by a cousin in California.  She shared pictures with me via email.  She gave me permission to post the pictures on Facebook.

The Fredricks Facebook group has been a fun way to share the information I have found on the family, but even more fun has been seeing what others share.  Do you have a unique way that your family shares information?  Please share in the comments.

  

Hopes and Aspirations for 2013

2012 will be coming to an end soon and I have been thinking about next year and what I hope to accomplish with my blog and research.  This requires looking at the past year and what I have accomplished.

2012 had a few blog hiccups in it.  For the first time since I started blogging I had two months where I didn't blog at all.  Family commitments and life in general got in the way.  I started a second blog, Journey to His Past, and decided to reduce the number of blog posts I wrote on this blog, but two months of no posting wasn't what I had in mind.  I would like to get back to posting 2-3 times a week, every month in 2013.

I set goals for 2012 and I am not sure if I want to do it for next year.  My strengths are in education and organization.  I accomplished all of the goals I set in these topics.  I accomplished research, but I tend to go in other directions than what I set goals for.  I like the freedom to research when new record sources and interests are discovered.

Instead of goals for 2013 I plan to set priorities.  My priorities for next year include:

• Organize and color code Kirk's genealogy files
• Scan pictures and documents received from Kirk's parents when they moved
• Attend FGS 2013 Conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana

There are no research priorities set.  I plan to assess what research needs to be done and as time allows research a few family lines.  For me, research is an ongoing process and to be tied to one specific research goal doesn't work.  

What are your plans for 2013?  Do you set goals?  If so, please share in the comment section.

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas

Or As My Ancestors Would Say

Dutch-Vrolijk Kerstfees

English - Merry Christmas

French - Joyeux Noel

German - Froehliche Weihnachten

Irish - Nollaig Shona Dhuit

Scottish - Blithe Yule
Switzerland- Schoni Wiehnachte