INSIDE THIS ISSUE: “A Place Called Home” “Understanding DNA terms” “Understanding Graphology” “I Owe My Soul to the Company Store” “The Youngest Leader Of the Band” “The History Time Forgot – Family Bibles”
Robert Ralph Weeks 1927-1998 The little boy on our cover this month has a personal distinction for one of our staff members. He is the father of our staff genealogist, Kathy Weeks-Bailey.
Robert (l) with grandfather Frank Smith (r)
CONNECTING POINTS 窶天OL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
Robert was born in LaCrosse Wisconsin, and immediately became the apple of his grandparents eye. He spent many a day playing and staying with his grandparents Frank and Jessie Smith who lived in a magnificent estate known as Wildwood just across the river in LaCressent, Michigan. The picture on the picnic table is Robert with his grandfather Frank.
www.connectingpointsmagazine.com
PUBLISHER Tom Bailey
If you were asked to describe what “family” is to you in only one word, your answer would be pure, and define “you”. My answer would be “unconditional” How would you describe family?
EDITOR Michele Gotthardt CONSULTING GENEAOLOGIST Kathy Weeks-Bailey
As a creative team of individuals we are excited to bring you the premiere edition of CONNECTING POINTS magazine. Every quarter we will bring a new look at family history, genealogy, lifestyles, customs and research concepts.
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Michael Brubaker Rebekah Dodson Janet Mancini
Each issue you will be invited to join us and immerse yourself into a series of articles from both professionally accredited experts in their field and home genealogists whose passion for a particular aspect of family history study will give you fresh insights into your research. The term “connecting points” relates to the concept that we are all part of a giant space that is connected through a variety of related and seemingly unrelated points. These points when connected paint a picture of our history and being. In each issue we will also bring you two special selections. The first we call “A Day in the Life” segment, and we will bring you a 24 hour vignette view of what a day in the life of people from many walks of life undergo. The other is called “A Moment in Time” , a segment where we will explore a specific moment in history that had a dramatic role in the way many family trees growth rings were altered. We hope as you open this edition on your laptop, tablet or even smart phone e-reader you wander into the forest of your family tree, and use its contents to help you nourish and grow your tree. Family is the . . . CONNECTING POINTS . . . that always bring us back home!
Tom Bailey, Publisher
CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
PUBLISHED BY AGORA DEDAKALOS CAG agoradedakalos@yahoo.com www.connectinpointsmagazine.com
SUBSCRIBE ON-LINE FREE on-line publication Subscribe at: www.connectingpointsmagazine.com/sub
ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS Article submissions are only accepted in the form of an .rtf or .doc document attached in an email directed to “Publisher” at connectingpointsmagazine@yahoo.com CONNECTING POINTS magazine is published quarterly, Mar, Jun, Sep & Dec.
CONNECTING POINTS –page 4
Welcome Janet Mancini!
Finding my life through the Children’s Home,
Pg.8 “I was left at an orphanage after my biological mother died in 1957. My father left; he did not want the responsibility of taking care of me or my younger siblings. But it was through my mother’s love and choice that she placed me in the Children’s Home. We were placed there for various reasons, but it brought us together as a family.” Janet M.
Welcome Rebekah Dodson!
I bought a Bible today,
Pg.19 “At the end of the day it is that, who we are, where we have come from, is all that matters. Our ancestry doesn’t determine who we are, but it unlocks the key to our past. And without historical records, we lack the key to unlock that door. Behind that door are wonders we can only imagine, all because of the records we keep.” Rebekah D.
CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
A note from our . . .
Staff Genealogist- Kathy Weeks “CONNECTING POINTS magazine is a very exciting project that I am pleased to be a part of. Since my late teen years I have been fascinated with the study of my families’ history. In later years after becoming a counselor I learned about GENOGRAM work, and whole dimension to family tree research began.” Kathy W.
Welcome Robin Wilson !
SIDE by SIDE – Genetic Throwbacks,
Pg.67 “I had come across a pictorial about family resemblances. It showed two pictures of two separate family members, which had been merged together. . . It was fascinating to see the resemblances in their faces. Skin tones and how their individual faces where structured.” Robin W.
Welcome Michael Brubaker !
The Youngest Band Leader ,
Pg.71 “Initially when I started TempoSenzaTempo.blogspot.com my focus was on the musical history, but increasingly the background of many photos has taken me deeper into the world of genealogy research.” Michael B.
CONNECTING POINTS –page 06
In each edition of CONNECTING POINTS, we are excited to bring to our pages for your enjoyment and enlightenment stories from the lives of those who lived at, cared for the children, or oversaw the special places established to deal with orphans and abandoned children through the decades. We have decided to call this column “Home is Where the Heart is . . .” In our premiere edition, spring 2015 we are excited to introduce Janet Mancini, author, researcher and past resident of The Children’s Home in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. In her heartwarming story “Finding My Life Through the Children’s Home” she shares a poignant look at her time there, and her happy ending of her “Home” story. Mancini also brings to the pages some important tips in genealogical research she employed in doing research for her book of the same title. If you have a story from Your life in a Children’s Home please drop us a Line. CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
TThhee LLeeggaaccy y ooff aan nA Addoopptteedd CChhiilldd
by Janet L. Mancini
My reason for writing this history is because I want to help make someone else’s search easier than mine was. Not only was I able to find pictures and articles about the history of The Children’s Home, but I also found my biological family, which I never knew I had. As strange as that sounds, that is what happened. You see, I am an adopted child. It was at the request of our mother, Mary Margaret Morris-Lener, that my twin brother John and I be placed in The Children's Home. The Children’s Home was located at 141 Oakland Avenue, Uniontown, PA. Our birth mother died a few days after placing us there. We went to live at the home in June of 1957. Our adopted parents were Alberta and Baptiste Mancini. We were placed in my adopted home on Memorial Day 1958. Our adoption was finalized on Christmas Eve 1958. Our parents were looking to adopt a little boy, but when they came to The Children’s Home and found out there were twins they did not want to separate us, they wanted both of us. This makes the biggest difference in the life of a child. I had the best of everything but most of all was their love and acceptance. I thank God every day for the life I was blessed with.
Once there were two women Who never knew each other; One you do not remember, The other you call Mother. Two different lives Shaped to make yours one; One became your guiding star, The other became your sun. The first one gave you life, And the second taught you to live it; The first gave you a need for love, The second was there to give it. One gave you a nationality, The other gave you a name; One gave you talent, The other gave you aim. One gave you emotions, The other calmed your fears; One saw your first sweet smile, The other dried your tears. You were born from caring courage, Nurtured with help from above; You are the blending, my darling, Of two different kinds of love. ~ Anonymous ~
I wanted to add here, the woman who had lived in the house beside my parents' home, Dona Sands, told my parents that there was a Children’s Home that was closing and the children needed to be placed. It was Dona Sands' aunt, Mary McKnight-Connelly, who was the matron of the home. Then after many visits from The Children’s Aid Society to my parents, home, they were found very worthy of children. (Continued)
CONNECTING POINTS –page 08
A A ““TTookkeen n”” ttoo FFiin ndd Y Yoouu W Wiitthh Founded by wealthy English sea captain Thomas Coram in 1741, the Foundlings Hospital was dedicated to the "education and maintenance of exposed and deserted young children." But because of what Coram himself saw as the shockingly large numbers of children abandoned by the poor of London during the time, the hospital was overwhelmed from the beginning. Few applicants older than 12 months were accepted — and then only if the parent drew a white ball from a bag filled with the black balls of rejection. Then the babies were stripped of their names and registered on a pre-printed ledger sheet as a number accompanied by a long list of physical descriptions. "The process of giving over a baby to the Foundling Hospital was anonymous," explains exhibition curator John Styles in a book accompanying the exhibit. "It was a form of adoption. The Foundling Hospital became the infant's parent and its previous identity was erased." In order to avoid any threat of disclosure — and the shame that might lead some mothers to dump their babies in the streets or even kill them — the hospital's clerks were strictly forbidden to record the mothers' name until the 1760s. But because the mother retained the right to reclaim her child if her circumstances improved, each one was encouraged to leave a token that could be used as an identifying mark in the future.
CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
After the death of my adopted mother, I became curious about my birth mother. This was August 2000. My brother John had done some searching years earlier, but now my time has come. John gave me my birth mother’s name and my search began. I called an old friend of my adopted mother, Dona Sands, and ask her if she knew where The Children’s Home was located. Dona wasn’t sure, but knew it was in Fayette County, PA. It turns out Dona was the niece of the Matron of The Children’s Home, Mary McKnight-Connelly. I called the Uniontown Library, and spoke to a woman who told me the building at 141 Oakland Avenue, Uniontown, was still there. This event transpired 45 years after leaving The Children’s Home. The following week, I went back to the building, and as I walked the floors and looked all around, I was amazed because memories started to flow like water. I recognized the black and white linoleum, the large oak stairway, the two large dining rooms, and the scenery. I realized this was the first day of my life that I could remember, Memorial Day, 1958, the day my twin brother John and I left The Children’s Home. As we were leaving with my our new parents, Alberta and Baptiste Mancini, and the sun was shining brightly through the Poplar trees, I felt such a warmth and comfort from the sun that I knew everything would be alright. As the sun came through the trees and windows of the car, I was fascinated by this feeling and sight. (Continued)
I will never forget that drive to our new home. A place where I felt very much loved and accepted. After having lost my birth mother, birth father, all my siblings, and enduring a life threatening scalding accident at 2 years of age, I was ready to go on with my life. I was very happy in my new home. While visiting there, I saw three large photo copies of The Children’s Home and ask if anyone knew who the woman was in the photo. I later found out that the woman in the photos was Mary McKnight-Connelly, the Matron of The Children’s Home. I wanted to be informed if anyone came by that either worked or lived in the home, or was a child there when I was. The building had become The Easter Seals Office, and I left my name and number at the desk, hoping to make a connection. After a week, I could wait no longer, so I called and was told there was a woman and a man there taking a video of the place earlier that week. It turns out the woman was Lewana GordonKing, who was a helper with the boys at the home and the man was Gary Wilson. He had been a child there when I was. I was so excited I could not wait. I was given Lewana’s phone number and I called her. She ask me three questions: 1) Do you1)have natural blond hair? I said yes I said yes Do you havecurly natural curly blond hair? 2) Do you2)have a twin brother I said yes I said yes Do you have a twinnamed brotherJohn? named John? 3) Do you3)have scarhave on your I said yes I said yes Do you scarleft on shoulder? your left shoulder? I immediately felt chills run up and down my arms, and the hair stood up on them. Lewana then said “You're the Lener twins.” That is the first I heard my name. It is almost like I heard a echo sound. It has taken awhile for that to set in. I knew at this very moment that I had made a connection, and this was my proof. I knew now that I could piece my life together. (Continued)
CONNECTING POINTS –page 10
A group of nurse maids at Uniontown Home
A birthday party at Uniontown home
Lovely and caring women to look after us
Always a time for Sunday’s best dresses CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
Janet and John after adoption
The Boys’ Dorm Room – Uniontown, PA
The Children’s Home in Uniontown, PA
The boys are like brothers at the Home
CONNECTING POINTS –page 12
I met Lewana Gordon-King, Helen Gordon-Fike and Catherine Holland on 01-10-2001, my birthday, 47 years after I left The Children’s Home. These are the women who took care of me in The Children’s Home. When I met them I felt as though they were mothers to me. They had taken many photos of John and I living at The Children’s Home. I had never seen myself at 4 years of age and I was just fascinated at what I looked like. I could not take my eyes off of the photos for the longest time. I was very overwhelmed by the love and care these women had and still have for the children that lived at the home. We lived together just like a family. We ate, slept, went to church and school together, just like a family. The place was exceptionally clean and we had very nutritious meals. The home would be visited periodically and unannounced by The Children’s Aid Society. Some of the food was provided by The County Home and also DeCarlo’s Greenhouse that provided vegetables for the home. There was even a local bakery that provided birthday cakes for all the children. We were well feed and very happy. At the time I lived at the home about 30 children lived there also, ranging in age from months old to about 13 years of age. Most of us attended The Free Methodist Church on 300 Evans St. in Uniontown, PA. But others attended the church their families were from. We attended the Boyle School that was located on 115 Downer Ave. Uniontown, PA.. (Continued)
Janet’s adopted parents, Baptiste and Alberta Mancini.
CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
Author Janet Mancini in her official Children’s Home photo 1957
I got her date of death from The Fayette County Children and Youth service. I was able to get a copy of my proposed adoption papers which I have never seen. This opened up a whole new world to me. During the 1950’s all adoption records were sealed because of privacy reasons. It was in the best interest of the child to be protected. In my case it was the right thing to do, since I was so young. In order to receive my records now I had to show my adopted birth certificate and my driver’s license and as an adopted child I needed proper ID. Once I did get my records, I had found out a lot of information on my birth mother. It had her date of death. I was then able to look for her obituary. And it stated that there were 9 children in the family. I was in complete shock and even more of a shock was to see my name in her obituary. In reading it I found out I had lost one sister to Pneumonia at 9 months of age. And as I am reading about her siblings I started to think wonder if she had any left living. Well she had a sister left and her name was Catherine Nutt.
Gary Wilson heads to attic to play
I gave Catherine a call and told her who I was. She was just as shocked as I was to hear from me. We talked for quite awhile and planned to meet the next week. When I walked into the house she said, Oh my God it was just like her sister walking through the door. She said you look just like your mother. Aunt Catherine gave me my first picture of my birth mother and every time I look at it I get chills. I look exactly like her.
I have the same smile, eyes, natural curly hair and hands. I could not stop looking at her photo. I am amazed. At this time Aunt Catherine knew where my oldest and youngest sisters were living. I was able to meet my youngest sister, Eleanor that day. She was so excited, I was so overwhelmed. I now had 7 more siblings. My brothers and sisters have been looking for John and I all their lives. They never knew if we were separated or stayed together. It was the best thing for us to be adopted together. My siblings and I are getting to know one another by emails, texting, visits and phone calls. We now have a lifetime to talk about. I ended up finding four sisters and three brothers. What a blessing it has been.
CONNECTING POINTS –page 14
TTO OPP 1100 D Diissccoovveerry y TToooollss Check out Janet’s Mancini’s TOP 10 tips on discovering information on children placed and raised in orphanages and children’s homes. 1. Contact Children and Youth Services 2. Review microfilm at your local library 3. Talking with people associated with Home 4. Review reference manuals on children homes 5. Generate discussions with Caseworkers 6. Contact local court house of Home records 7. Church cradle roll records 8. Children Home Contacts 9. Offering to speak at historical societies
Janet Mancini can be contacted at: oaklandave141@yahoo.com or on facebook
10. Continual searching of the Internet for new leads and information
CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
Janet Mancini’s book “Finding My Life Through the Children’s Home” can be ordered online at: http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Life-Through-Childrens-Home-ebook/dp/B00IE7UL8C
The work of a genealogist is based on the concept of a family tree. Some think of the roots as the ancestors and the branches the new generations. Others however look at it from an opposite perspective. No matter which way you envision your family tree, the probability that you want to showcase it in your home is high. What a beautiful centerpiece this chair would make to set off your family tree.
Ronald Edward Strout Hand-crafted Furniture is worth the extra costs. Their hard work goes into each Masterpiece. Its undoubtedly hard work , yet When done you will love HC Furniture Design and Building’s creations. Strout says “Carving like I do is enjoyable and fun. I'm Passionate with Wood Working.“ We Don’t Know how much this Master Craftsman would charge for this but it would certainly make a beautiful addition to any genealogists’ library.
CONNECTING POINTS –page 16
Becoming more equipped to be a genealogical researcher requires us to expand our knowledge base. One of the most useful expansions is often in the ability to understand new terms and concepts that read about. This edition we will look at ten words that help us understand some frequent terms dealing with DNA research and family history.
What Is DNA? DNA is a type of nucleic acid that contains the genetic information necessary for the production of other cell components and for the reproduction of life.
What's Your Genotype? Genotype refers to the genetic composition of an organism. Genotype is inherited through sexual reproduction and determines our characteristics.
What Is an Allele? An allele is an alternative form of a gene.
What Is a Chromosome? A chromosome is a long, stringy aggregate of genes that carries heredity information and is formed from condensed chromatin.
CONNECTING POINTS 窶天OL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
What is Gene Theory? The Gene Theory is one of the basic principles of biology. The main concept of this theory is that traits are passed from parents to offspring through gene transmission.
What Are Homologous Chromosomes? Homologous chromosomes are chromosome pairs that are inherited from each parent.
What Are Genes? Genes are segments of DNA located on chromosomes. Genes contain the codes for the production of specific proteins.
What is The Nucleus? The nucleus is a cell structure that contains hereditary information, or DNA, and controls cellular growth and reproduction.
What Are Phenotypes? Phenotype is defined as an organism's expressed physical traits. It is determined by an individual's genotype and expressed genes, random genetic variation, and environmental influences.
CONNECTING POINTS –page 18
FFaam miilly yB Biibblleess I bought a Bible today. Have you ever walked in an antique or thrift store, and there on a shelf was a well used and tattered Bible? Families become estranged, and separated, often by thousands of miles. A death comes, and there is so much to sort out, and clean up. This is especially true with old homesteads where several generations have lived. Towards the end of this cleansing, the family is exhausted and just packs up the remaining belongings and donate them or sell the lot to a trader. Consider if you find a family Bible for sale to collect it up, and try to find someone in the family who would love the hand written wealth of information it contains. There are many facebook groups, and even Ebay that help with getting the word out. Family history belongs with the family.
CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
It doesn’t look like my grandmother’s Bible. Mine is shiny and new with small text and a black cover; hers was large print, with a faded and tattered crimson front, her name emblazoned in gold in the lower right corner. My pages were pristine and crisp, where she had penciled notes in the margin, and the blank leafs covered in details from the past. The first page of my Bible is blank, with only the decorative gold introduction, and empty pages of names and dates that longed to be filled. Hers carries historical records back hundreds of years; carefully crafted names and dates of all our ancestors. It lay in a dusty cabinet after her death, containing so many the secrets of our family tree. It lay waiting there patiently, biding its time until it could be brought to life and share everything we have searched for all these years. When I finally blew the years of dust from its pages, it had a wealth of knowledge. At first, I wanted it all to myself. Who could possible want all this information about our family tree, so carefully scripted in her flowing cursive? The births and deaths of our family going back generations, and it was all mine.
I began to wonder about the people she had recorded in that heavy book. Who were they? Where did they live, what did they do for a living? Did they have a family that gathered around the fireplace, much like mine? Were any of them blond and freckled, did any of them have my gray eyes, a mix of hazel and blue? Their names were precious, but I knew little about them. Who were these ancestors, and why had my Grandmother held them in such high regard?
Research On A Page . . . Family information is usually found on special pages inserted between the two Testaments that are designed for family records to be recorded on. This is most common in the larger presentation style Bibles. Smaller more personal sized Bibles will often have family history recorded in the blank front and back pages, and even in the margins of certain pages. Some things to discover . . .
These are the questions that every ancestry researcher asks. These are the reason they are driven to their near obsession in discovering the truth about their family. And it all boils down to one word: connection. Feeling a connection to our past, to the ones that have gone on before, helps us understand how we conduct our lives today. I always wondered why patriotism ran strong and true through our family’s veins; but my grandmother recorded six generations of men in the military. There were even a few female nurses, too. I felt a strange connection to the young lives recorded in her Bible, the ones that passed before they took their first steps. I felt the agony only a mother can feel when she loses a child of such a young age. A whirlwind of emotions connected me to my past, in just a few simple names and dates.
1. Births (including stillbirths) 2. Baptisms 3. Christenings 4. Engagements 5. Marriages 6. Death 7. Burial 8. Special Occasions 9. Even drawn out family trees are not an uncommon treasure to find
CONNECTING POINTS –page 20
Today’s literary world is often composed of electronic books and publications instead of paper and ink versions. The Bible is no exception to this change with people so many study tools tied directly to their fingertips as they read it. However the “Family Bible” is still a more traditional centerpiece of many homes. And whether it has been passed down through many generations, or newly purchased, its pages are, or about to be, filled with the legacy of family history.
Modern society has turned its back on where we once came from. Often, the recorded histories exist as nothing more than an idly placed obituary in a newspaper, or a long forgotten decrepit gravestone in a cemetery hundreds of miles away. We have lost our connection to the past, and with it, a part of our souls that reside there. We have no idea who we are, where we came from, and what our ancestors did. But this doesn’t have to be a thing of the past. Today’s technology has created a world of wealth in recorded history, if only the present generation realized the importance. History is alive and well in the eyes of our future generations; who will record their life, their death, and the important mark they left on the world? Should they all be forgotten, hidden away in the depth of a dusty Bible tucked away from prying eyes?
In the 21st century we take so much for granted. Recording family history in the pages of a Bible, or any source seems commonplace today. But illiteracy was the norm for many of the American people as little as 70 years ago. This greatly diminished the amount of history that could be written down in things like family Bibles. Fortunately today illiteracy is below 1% in America, and education is available and mandatory for all minors.
Recording history is important not only to demonstrate our past, but also to enlighten our future. Knowing our ancestry can determine the difference between life a death: from unlocking DNA that links us to specific ethnic heritage, to decoding past diseases that could help us fight the battle against hereditary illnesses, and even to predicting future behaviors and addiction, recording the history of our ancestors can very well be the key to living a full and productive life.
CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
I bought a Bible today. Not to record my ancestry, because paper is frail and decays, and technology holds the keys to preserving it for generations to come. But the Bible is a symbol of the importance of historical records. My grandmother was on the right track with names and dates, but I plan to take it one step further. I hope my grandchildren find my records one day and the light comes on for them, because I kept such detail of our family. So that’s why my hair is golden and my eyes are blue, they will say. That’s where my freckles come from, they will realize. That’s why my temper is so strong, and my intelligence so keen; it runs in my family. My family. At the end of the day it is that, who we are, where we have come from, is all that matters. Our ancestry doesn’t determine who we are, but it unlocks the key to our past. And without historical records, we lack the key to unlock that door. Behind that door are wonders we can only imagine, all because of the records we keep. Don’t let your children, or children’s children, go without the wealth of knowledge that we need to pass down to them. You might discover you have a knight in your family tree, a wealthy prince, or a powerful queen. The possibilities are endless.
Rebekah Dodson is the author of the acclaimed romance series Postcards from Paris, and also recently released the nonfiction series The Lost Civilizations, both from Deckard Publishing. She has been writing her whole life, with her first published work of historical fiction with 4H Clubs of America at the age of 12, and poetry at the age of 16 with the National Poetry Society. Since then she has pursued a career in creative journalism. Starting as an intern with CERAKANVAS magazine, a leading world art magazine, eventually the role of staff editor. Dodson is also the current publisher for the travel e-zine The 13th FLOOR, which is based in a rural Southern Oregon community and in its third year of production. With an extensive academic background including education, history, psychology and English, she currently works as college professor teaching writing and language arts. Dodson is also a passionate family history buff and genealogist. History is the key to unlocking the future.
Rebekah Dodson can be contacted at: Rdodson@deckardpublishing.com
I bought a Bible today.
or on facebook
Rebekah Dodson - Author
CONNECTING POINTS –page 22
General Guidelines for article submissions:
CONNECTING POINTS is a quarterly magazine designed to appeal to a wide range of interests in the overall genealogy and ancestry research realms. o Each edition will be 75-100 pages in length o The magazine will be published in both e-zine format, viewable on almost any device and requires no additional readers or software to be purchased. A limited number of archival grade print publications will also be generated. Print copies have a controlled distribution. o The on-line edition will be free of charge and available globally. o All communications including article submissions and queries should be e-mailed to connectingpointsmagazine@yahoo.com Guidelines for general article submissions o Only non-fiction articles will be considered. o Previously posted BLOG material, of your original content, may be considered for use in the magazine. o No payment will be made for any materials published. CONNECTING POINTS is a free magazine with no advertising base, and does not pay its contributors. o Articles will be accepted from both professionals (SME – Subject Matter Experts) in a common field associated with genealogy, history, ancestry, DNA sciences, etc. and non-professional ancestry/genealogy enthusiasts who have a story of relevant concern to others who share a common interest. Articles written by SME’s should conform to current APA or CMS guidelines for all citations. Also a professional statement of the SME in sidebar format should be included. Articles written by amateur or non-professional genealogists should give proper citation and or reference to any direct quotes by others or materials that are incorporated into your article from other sources. o Article submissions should be between 500 and 3,000 words. The following is only a guideline on content and sidebar sections. 500 words (usually with one 75-100 word sidebar) 1,500 words (usually with one 100 word, or two 50-75 word sidebars) 3,000 words (usually with two 100-150 word and one 50-75 word sidebar) o Articles longer than 3,000 words may be considered as a feature or multi part over multiple editions article. Please query us first before submitting a manuscript. o All articles will be professionally edited by our staff prior to publication. o All articles must be the original and complete work of the submitting writer(s) with all names included.
CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
All articles will be published under the First North American serial rights which are the traditional standard in publishing. When you assign these rights to your story, you are giving a magazine the right to print your work first in North America, before any other serial publication (a.k.a. magazine). When you assign first North American serial rights to CONNECTING POINTS, you are agreeing that the magazine (CONNECTING POINTS) will be the first to print the story, but that it will then give you back the right to publish the same exact story however, wherever, and whenever you choose. CONNECTING POINTS has two additional sub focuses as mentioned in the publications logo o “A Day in the Life . . .” This section will focus on families who have had a minimum of three consecutive generations in the same career field. It does not have to be at the same place of work, just the field of work. The article will include biographical sketches in sidebar format of each generation. Family historical pictures will be necessary for consideration. Average article length will be 1,500 words with 3 sidebars of 100-200 words each. One “A Day in the Life . . .” article will be accepted per edition. o “A Moment in Time . . .” This section will focus on a story surrounding a certain event in history and the people directly involved with that event. It will also look at the family genealogy of that person’s family. Historical pictures of the event, whether from personal family collections or archive collections will be necessary for consideration. Average article length will be 1,500 – 2,000 words with at least 2 sidebars of 100-200 words each. One or more “A Moment in Time . . .” article will be accepted per edition. o
The Creative TEAM at CONNECTING POINTS magazine looks forward to receiving your story for consideration in one of our upcoming issues. e-mail us at: connectingpointsmagazine@yahoo.com or visit us on the web at www.connectingpointsmagazine.com
CONNECTING POINTS –page 24
CONNECTING POINTS –page 26
Link here for solution
The boy from our cover is Robert Weeks (19271998) from LaCrosse, WI. In this inset picture he is with his grandfather Frank Smith. Robert spent much of his young life with the Smith’s on their family estate known as “Wildwood” in LaCressent, MI
CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
We were very excited when Michele Gotthardt accepted the position of Senior Editor for our new magazine. Michele has worked as a part of the creative team on several other publications our publishing house AGORA DEDAKALOS has produced over the last several years. Her skill as a copy editor is phenomenal. This attribute combined with her insight to technical structure and ideas for the format of the publication our very beneficial. Like all of our staff, the work is done on a volunteer basis, so we can keep what we believe in available for free to our readers. Thanks Michele for being a part of the team.
Family history has always been something that has intrigued me. I love playing "Sherlock Holmes" when I have the time and sleuth out the truth in the many urban legends I hear about ancestors, relative, in-laws and outlaws. I feel fortunate to have some of my immediate family nearby so we can get together and do family things more than every ten years like you might do at a high school reunion. And for those that are distant things like facebook and email have helped bridge the miles. Like most people or so I am told, all family trees have interesting branches, and love sorting through the fact and fiction. Michele
CONNECTING POINTS –page 28
CONNECTING POINTS 窶天OL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
AAtttteennttiioonn DDeeffiicciitt oorr GGeenniiuuss Most people begin their journey of compiling their family tree and researching their ancestry by simply charting out parents, grandparents, aunt, uncles, children and cousins. Then it grows and grows. When once you only had 1st cousins, now you are trying to understand exactly what a 5th cousin twice removed means. You might find yourself getting a little anxious, a little obsessed with finding that next nugget that adds to your journey of genealogical conquest. Finally one day you find you have massive charts filled with lots of data, statistics, dates, locations. And numbers, but what next? And it you realize the next step in your hyperactive all consuming desire to know more is beyond historical data. That more comes in the form of what these names from decades to centuries ago were like. What were their personality traits, their intelligence, and their behavioral identifiers? Perhaps you had a genius in your line; an inventor, artist, writer, or scientist. Would they be labeled with ADD/ADHD today? Check out this great article by June Silney and see how close these two are.
Since third grade you knew you were different. One minute you were staring out the window lost in the trees and the next minute you were chewing an intricate wood carving design into your No. 2 pencil. Teachers didn’t know how to handle you even though they told your mother, “He has so much potential if only he could sit still, pay attention, and focus on his work.”
Years ago (before everyone was diagnosed with ADD), the child who was unlike the others was labeled creative. You knew that if school was too difficult for you, there would be several other fabulous, fun and exciting careers for imaginative thinkers.
Well, the time has come to improve your relationship with those three dreaded letters -ADD. They’ve haunted you for long enough. There’s been so much attention on how terrible it is to have “ADD” that you forgot how great it is to have the those “special” abilities and the super-powers that come along with it.
Yes, it’s true. Each trait has a positive and negative side to it.
CONNECTING POINTS –page 30
After one receives a diagnosis of ADD, you can only think about all the things that are wrong with you. “This causes feelings of shame, fear, and self-doubt,” according to Edward Hallowell, M.D. Focusing on the negative aspects of ADD keeps you locked into feeling stuck or that things are just “too hard” to work through. But when you flip the focus and see that each (so-called) negative trait has a positive side to it, you will see just how beneficial ADD can be. Magic happens when you see the true mirror image of each trait. Negative labels are destructive to everyone, especially to the person who labels him/her self. Dump those negative labels and let’s see just how amazing you are!
1. You see what others don’t see, you see more. Your creative perspective gives you x-ray vision to see beyond the surface. Some people see raindrops; you see sparkling reflective circles dancing on your window.
2. You’re a champion multi-tasker. Pity those poor people who can only manage do one thing at a time. Not you! You’re a super-task-master. Maybe you’ve got three computer screens going on at once or you’re working two cell phones and a landline at the same time. No problem. You can handle it.
3. You’re philosophically deeper than most people. Your conversations jump off the pages of a Dostoyevsky novel. Boring, you are not!
4. You are an artist, an actor, a writer, marketing expert, chef, Wall Street trader, a musician, or filmmaker. You’re a comedian, a hairstylist, or cabinetmaker. Maybe you work for Google. Who else would be able to understand the detailed path of algorithms and coding? The world needs you.
CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
5. When you find something you love, you do it with passion.
10. You work great under pressure.
Once your engine kicks in, nothing can stop you. Passion drives you to greatness.
Actually, you work even better under pressure. You can stay up all night preparing a spectacular presentation and then deliver it the next day with an Oscar-worthy performance.
6. Change doesn’t scare you.
11. You have a photographic memory.
In fact, you love it. You’re flexible and go with the flow, wherever it takes you. You’re a risk taker who will venture into new projects without a worry. No big deal. If it doesn’t work out, you’ll try something else.
Be it numbers, words, letters, or places, those digits stick. Your brain is a warehouse, a storage center, archiving memories and visuals since you were two years old.
7. You’re an out-of-the-box thinker.
12. You are compassionate, empathetic, and totally lovable.
You have innovative ideas most people would never think of. Ingenious ideas fly into brain all hours of the day and night.
Your loving heart lets you feel what is in someone else’s heart. You’re the sweetest boyfriend (or girlfriend), husband (or wife), friend, sibling anybody could ever want.
8. Your awesome sense of humor keeps you optimistic. Who said it’s so terrible to have ADD? You love to laugh. Like all great comedians you find something funny or look at the bright side of issues that would bring most people to a state of doom and gloom.
Isn’t it time to start loving your special gifts? Admit it, you’re fabulous!
9. You are resilient.
Not much knocks you down, and if it does, you wipe yourself off, get back up and never quit until you get it right.
CONNECTING POINTS –page 32
Albert Einstein about 1893 he would have been about 13 years old. Many say Einstein would have been diagnosed with severe ADD in today’s criteria, and never would have been able to utilize his genius. June is a personal excellence coach, blogger, and author. Read more about how you can calm your crazy life at Visit junesilny.com! Check these out- Realizations: My Experiments in Daily Living is a double shot of self-help espresso. http://amzn.com/0967313414
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/featured/12-reasons-why-you-should-love-having-add.html?dgs=1
CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
Fair Use of images and material One of the rights accorded to the owner of copyright is the right to reproduce or to authorize others to reproduce the work in copies or phonorecords. This right is subject to certain limitations found in sections 107 through 118 of the copyright law (title 17, U. S. Code). One of the more important limitations is the doctrine of “fair use.” The doctrine of fair use has developed through a substantial number of court decisions over the years and has been codified in section 107 of the copyright law. Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Section 107 also sets out four factors to be considered in determining whether or not a particular use is fair. The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes The nature of the copyrighted work The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work The distinction between what is fair use and what is infringement in a particular case will not always be clear or easily defined. There is no specific number of words, lines, or notes that may safely be taken without permission. Acknowledging the source of the copyrighted material does not substitute for obtaining permission. The 1961 Report of the Register of Copyrights on the General Revision of the U.S. Copyright Law cites examples of activities that courts have regarded as fair use: “quotation of excerpts in a review or criticism for purposes of illustration or comment; quotation of short passages in a scholarly or technical work, for illustration or clarification of the author’s observations; use in a parody of some of the content of the work parodied; summary of an address or article, with brief quotations, in a news report; reproduction by a library of a portion of a work to replace part of a damaged copy; reproduction by a teacher or student of a small part of a work to illustrate a lesson; reproduction of a work in legislative or judicial proceedings or reports; incidental and fortuitous reproduction, in a newsreel or broadcast, of a work located in the scene of an event being reported.” Copyright protects the particular way authors have expressed themselves. It does not extend to any ideas, systems, or factual information conveyed in a work. The safest course is to get permission from the copyright owner before using copyrighted material. The Copyright Office cannot give this permission.
CONNECTING POINTS magazine is a FREE research magazine designed as a teaching tool for those studying genealogy. We try to give credit to any mage we know its origin, but most are generic or supplied to us by contributors. We abide by the “fair use” guidelines printed on the right in regards to copyrights. If you see a picture that belongs to you, and would like credit given please e-mail us.
When it is impracticable to obtain permission, you should consider avoiding the use of copyrighted material unless you are confident that the doctrine of fair use would apply to the situation. The Copyright Office can neither determine whether a particular use may be considered fair nor advise on possible copyright violations. If there is any doubt, it is advisable to consult an attorney. http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html
CONNECTING POINTS –page 34
Join us each edition as we bring you a special look at journals and recollections from real life stories. Tales of family, endurance, and intrigue, we call this section, “The Time Traveler’s Journeys” In this edition we bring You a look at the journal pages of Wes Ray, as he remembered them in his feature columns of a magazine called “Hunter, Trader, Trapper” The Oct. 1905 edition had The following story, and now We are sharing it a 110 years Later . . . enjoy!
CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
It was a stormy night in December. The northeast wind tugged and tore at the great forest of spruce and laurel, and howled and shrieked around the three corners of a hunter's cabin. Within that log hut a new life had began. That was the winter of 1857. From that night I date my age. It was an ugly night for a story to begin, but I couldn't have a say so in it. My father told me afterwards that the same day of my birth he killed 7 deer and 2 black bear, which completed a list of 400 deer and 50 bear. He kept a list of the large game he had killed. He was a pioneer of this-then-vast wilderness of northeast Kentucky, and a mighty hunter. I had a brother two years older than myself, and it was our father's delight to have us with him on hunting trips. When I was 10 years old I owned a rifle—a very small fire arm. My father had a gunsmith to make it, which cost him $18 in trade, for ginseng, wild bees wax and pelts. I became an expert shot. At 12 years of age I had killed my bear. It was at this age also that I earned my first pair of shoes. I dug ginseng—a plant as common then as rattle weed Is now, and tramped 15 miles and sold It to a peddler for 60 cents a pound, and paid the modest price of $3.00 for a pair of stogy shoes. The following winter my brother and I joined in to make some money trapping, and by the middle of October we had a line of deadfalls and snares thirty some odd miles. We worked for "who laid the chunk," and in March we floated down the Kinikiknic to the Ohio River in a "Dugout filled with pelts, and from there by boat to Cincinnati, where we located a fur house and sold for good prices, though it would surprise young trappers if I were to quote the prices we got for fur then. The best mink brought 60 cents, and of course other fur sold in proportion. Our catch for that winter was 170 coon, 592 opossum, 80 mink, 92 red foxes, 13 wildcat, 4 catamounts. We had 37 deer skins and 1 panther's pelt. I have hunted and trapped every winter since and dug roots and herbs during the summer. Game is getting scarce, but by going further back in the mountains each winter I manage to make a comfortable living. Wes Ray, Olive Hill, Kentucky
“I became an expert shot. At 12 years of age I had killed my bear. It was at this age also that I earned my first pair of shoes. I dug ginseng—a plant as common then as rattle weed Is now, and tramped 15 miles and sold It to a peddler for 60 cents a pound, and paid the modest price of $3.00 for a pair of stogy shoes.”
Glen Haney is an avid genealogist and has a passion for stories from life past. When he came across the series of journal writings by Wes Ray and his life in Olive Hill, KY he knew they should be shared anew. You can connect with Ray on facebook. Follow the link.
CONNECTING POINTS –page 36
Letters from home . . . Letters home, letters to friends far away, or just down the street, and creating a written record for historical significance has all been common for centuries. Today the writings of the world are almost exclusively digital, and the need for pen and ink is rapidly becoming extinct. But for the genealogist, handwritten letters, documents, cards and other such ephemera are a treasure trove beyond just their content. Through the concept of graphology we can learn so much more about our ancestors. Handwriting can be almost as unique as fingerprints or even DNA. But what handwriting styles tell us go beyond raw statistical data. They can tell us what the personality of our ancestors was like. It’s a more of a tool than an exacting science, but there are countless examples where close study of someone’s handwriting styles has been very accurate in defining their personality.
CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
Every person has a handwriting style that is specific to them. While handwriting has changed a significant amount over the last several decades, especially with more and more people working with computers and fewer people handwriting content, there is a definite change in the way people handwrite their letters. Of course, while handwritten letters can show off over 5,000 different personality traits, many are grouped together in these six different illustrations of the meanings behind certain handwriting characteristics.
Personality tends to match the size of your writing. If you write large letters, you tend to have a large personality and you are outgoing and like attention; most celebrities have large handwriting. If you write small letters it means you are focused and concentrate. Average sized letters mean you are better adjusted.
CONNECTING POINTS –page 38
Line Quality
If your line quality is thin, it means you are very gentle and tend to avoid confrontation. A thick line means you are more aggressive and assertive, while an average line quality means you are comfortable and well suited with the way things are.
Slants
The direction that your handwriting slants can say something specific about you. If it slants to the right, you are generally open to the world and like to socialize, while slanting to the left means you like to work alone, if there is no slant than you are typically on the logical side.
CONNECTING POINTS 窶天OL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
Spacing If your letters are spaced far apart it means you are very creative and probably have an artistic flair. Letters that are very close together indicate a pragmatic person who likes to plan ahead. The typical spacing between letters is described as one half of a lower case "o" fitting between them.
Alignment Alignment is all about concentration. If your sentences start to curve up or down, regardless of if there are lines on the page or not, it means you are easily distracted and tend to lose focus on what you are doing. A straight alignment means you are focused and tend to be a responsible person.
The usual culprits of open or incomplete letters are lower case vowels. If you write with a lot of open letters, you might mean that you focus on the big picture rather than small details. People who always make sure to close their letters tend to be the opposite; focusing on small details and sometimes losing sight of the big picture.
CP
S’s If your S is rounded, you like to please people and look for compromises. A pointy S means you like to study new things and if the S is open at the bottom it means you probably are doing something you do not want to be (such as working in an office instead of being a musician). L Loops If you do not have a loop on your L, it means you tend to feel restricted. A full loop on the L means you are more spontaneous and relaxed. E Loops Leaving a small space in your lower case "e" loop means you are more skeptical. A full loop on the e means you are open minded and like to experience new things.
Graphology is the analysis of the physical characteristics and patterns of handwriting purporting to be able to identify the writer, indicating psychological state at the time of writing, or evaluating personality characteristics. It is generally considered a pseudoscience. The term is sometimes incorrectly used to refer to forensic document examination. Check out these links for more information on Graphology http://www.britishgraphology.org/ http://www.csog.org/ http://www.graphology.it/ DISCLAIMER CONNECTING POINTS Magazine and its staff do not endorse or promote any of the above listed links. These are randomly selected through the use of a GOOGLE search.
CONNECTING POINTS –page 40
CONNECTING POINTS 窶天OL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
Click any of the scanners to link to the page or go to http://mbsy.co/flip-pal/ConnectingPoints
CONNECTING POINTS 窶天OL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: “Are We There Yet?” “Roadside Americana” “Games before Computers” “The Road Less Traveled” “A Family of Rangers” “Secrets of the Draft Card”
Discovering your family tree is all about finding connecting points in history that leads us on an incredible journey to discover where we came from. We are excited to be able to offer a custom family tree wall plaque, laser etched in real wood & customized with your family name or names. Handcrafted in the USA by Cyndi’s Creations.
Approx size 17”x19”
Order this beautiful Family Tree laser etched wood wall plaque customized with your family name(s) from Cyndi’s Creations and use coupon code
CONNECTINGPOINT To receive a 25% discount on this item. Coupon code expires 4/15/2015 Click on the logo to the left to order https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com %2Flisting%2F223696881%2Fpersonalized-laser-cut-family-treewall%3Fref%3Dpr_shop&h=FAQGo8nOQ
CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
“My passion for genealogy all started when I wanted to learn more about my grandfather on my Dad’s side of the family whom I have never met. For some reason I always thought they were German – nope they are of Irish descent. I wanted to find out what happened to him and learn more about his family. Little did I know I had a whole bunch of family just on the other side of the state. I went to a family reunion and got to meet several cousins I never knew I had, I even got to get my dad to go along. Grandpa however is buried in Texas. This led me to wanting to know more about rest of the family lines. I found out my husband is a distant cousin to Clint Eastwood, and my boys 29th great Grandfather is William the Conqueror. I discovered I have many cousins in lots of different states. I even flew to Alabama to meet a 3rd cousin. I’m not big on flying and I am from Washington so that was kind of a big deal for me. I didn’t have to do much work on my mom’s line as my grandma had most of that done – I have a whole lot of family in Czechoslovakia. My great grandparents moved to the U.S. from Czech. My mother is 100% Czech. I love knowing and learning about my family history, it’s kind of like reading a book that never ends. “ Cyndi
CONNECTING POINTS –page 46
The first thing that is filled in on any family tree is always the “name” of the person. Sometimes we know little more than the first name “Grandpa Joe” or perhaps only a nickname “Squirrely”. As we copiously search for more information we suddenly find ourselves wondering just what logic was used to determine their chosen name. Was it family honor or custom, was it a whimsical moment, or worse yet a hurtful name for some cause? This issue we look at naming order, and how it comes into play. CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
What to name the 5th son? By Dee GibsonMany, if not most, cultures and/or ethnic groups had or have a specific naming pattern for their offspring’s given names. While such patterns may or may not continue to be followed in today’s world, it certainly behooves the family researcher to be aware of the existence and possible use of them. It should be noted that the pattern could and did apply to daughters as well as sons. Most folks in the mountain area have at least some Scots-Irish and or English ancestry in their lineage, and the Scots-Irish and English did have a very specific pattern for naming their children. Sometimes this was dropped after their arrival in this country, but more often than not, the pattern could be observed for two or more generations after the family’s migration. This naming order was used by the Scots, Irish and English as well as the Scots-Irish families. Specifically, this was the pattern followed:
• The first son was named for the paternal grandfather (the father’s father). • The second son was named for the maternal grandfather (the mother’s father). • The third son was named for the father himself. • The fourth son was named for the father’s oldest brother (the son’s oldest paternal uncle). • The fifth son was named for the mother’s oldest brother (the son’s oldest maternal uncle) or sometimes for the father’s second oldest brother (the son’s second oldest maternal uncle). CONNECTING POINTS –page 48
The naming pattern for daughters was somewhat similar: • The first daughter was named for the mother’s mother (the daughter’s maternal grandmother). • The second daughter was named for the father’s mother (the daughter’s paternal grandmother). (Note: In some families, these first two were reversed.) • The third daughter was named for her mother. • The fourth daughter was named for the mother’s oldest sister (the daughter’s oldest maternal aunt). • The fifth daughter was named for the father’s oldest sister (the daughter’s oldest paternal aunt) or the mother’s second oldest sister (the daughter’s second oldest maternal aunt). There is always the possibility that there were variations in this pattern as it was not an ironclad law or requirement by any means.
Of course, there are always exceptions. If a man’s first wife died and he remarried, quite often the first daughter born to him and the second wife was named for the first wife and sometimes included her full name (example: Mary Jones Smith). This could cause confusion for researchers, who should be aware that a given name which could also be a surname was indeed a given name and not a maiden name for the daughter herself. We also have seen several instances in which the mother has remarried after the death of her first husband and names one of the sons born to the second marriage for her deceased first husband.
An excellent example is David Lowry Swain. His father was David Lowry. After David Lowry was killed by the Indians, his widow (Caroline Lane Lowry) married George Swain, who was reportedly a friend of David Lowry. One of their sons was CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
An excellent example is David Lowry Swain. His father was David Lowry. After David Lowry was killed by the Indians, his widow (Caroline Lane Lowry) married George Swain, who was reportedly a friend of David Lowry. One of their sons was David Lowry Swain, N.C. governor in the 1830s. It was not unusual to see the mother’s or even the grandmother’s maiden name used as the first or middle name for a child, usually a son. A good example of this is Mallory Brandon Patton, the son of Col. John Patton, who was one of the early settlers in Buncombe County. Mallory’s mother was Ann Mallory (Patton) and Mallory’s paternal grandmother was Hannah Brandon (Patton).
Other naming traditions
The mortality rate for babies and children was very high in the “old days,” and often a child would be given the same name as a deceased child. In addition, a child might be named for a deceased sibling of the mother or father, especially if the two siblings had enjoyed a close relationship. One often sees children given the full name of a prominent or famous person of the day, or even of a close friend of the family. For example, there were many boys name whose first and middle names were Andrew Jackson or Lorenzo Dow. (Dow was a wellknown and highly respected Methodist minister circuit rider.) A number of Madison County folk descend from Joseph Landon Carter Murray, who was the son of William “Billy” Murray and wife Elizabeth Miller Murray of Flag Pond, Tenn. Landon Carter was a prominent figure in the area, and it is not surprising to see a son in a local family named for him.
CONNECTING POINTS –page 50
Possibly one of the most confusing naming patterns for researchers is the Scandinavian pattern, which is a patronymic system in which a surname was derived from the father’s given name with a suffix denoting the relationship to the father. A son of Niels would have the surname Nielson or Nielsen. For example, a son of Niels named Peter would be named Peter Nielson or Neilsen. However, Peter’s sons would bear the surname Peterson or Petersen. To make matters further confusing, a daughter of Niels would have the surname Nielsdotter or Nielsdatter (meaning Niels daughter). It is hard to say when this pattern was discontinued, but researchers with Scandinavian ancestry should be aware of this pattern and watch for the possibility of its use in the family names.
Most researchers with German ancestry are surprised the see that the sons in a family are all given the same first name but a different middle or second name and all the daughters the same first name with a different middle or second name. It was common to give the children the name of a saint with the second or middle name being the “call name” or the name by which everyone knew the child. For example, all the boys in the family might bear the first name of Johan or Hans but have middle names such as George, Karl or Konrad.
CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
As we said, most cultures and nationalities had specific naming patterns. In most families in the U.S., these naming patterns have slowly died out, although it is still common for children to be named for a close relative, but not in any set pattern. Again, it should be emphasized that naming patterns were not required. Although many families followed them, others did not. However, researchers should be aware of them as they can certainly provide clues to a person’s lineage, especially where there appears to be a brick wall. For example, seeing the same first name “John” for the first son in several related families could be a clue that these sons’ mutual grandfather was “John.” Of course, an unusual first name appearing in several families of the same surname could be a very good clue to researchers.
What to Name the 5th Son? Dee Gibson-Roles, Special to the Citizen-Times Retrieved from, Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society. Volunteers address particular family histories as well as genealogical research in general. To submit questions about your family or others, please specify that it is for the Family History column and send to the society, via e-mail to info@obcgs.com.
CONNECTING POINTS –page 52
CONNECTING POINTS 窶天OL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
The Civil War was one of the most unique, and deadly, wars ever fought on American soil. It touched the lives of almost every family living during the Civil War era. It has always been known amongst other things as the battle where brother often fought brother. As you pursue your genealogical research you will quickly move to a generation with many grandparents, uncles and cousins of varying levels whose life and nature was influenced by this war. We are sharing this fine article from the March 2015 edition of the American Rifleman to help educate you on some of the life changing developments occurring during this crucial time in American history. As our hunger for knowledge of what that relative who fought in the Civil War was like, what branch did he serve, what rank did he achieve and what weapons did he use. Are all questions that will help you take a name to a personality.
CONNECTING POINTS –page 54
CONNECTING POINTS 窶天OL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
This article is from The American Rifleman, March 2015 edition, Published by the NRA, www.nra.org
CONNECTING POINTS –page 56
FOLD 3 is one of the leading reference search sites online for any military records, including the US Civil War. http://www.fold3.com
Sons of Union Veterans – Civil War is a national organization that allows membership for qualified ancestors . http://www.suvcw.org/
The National Archives – Is a wonderful massive storehouse of public records. Unfortunately much of the information is not available online at this time. http://archives.gov
CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
CONNECTING POINTS –page 58
CONNECTING POINTS 窶天OL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
We all have a story to unfold, it's hidden between the dog eared corners and scrap paper left hanging to the rusty staple from years of being in a musty damp storage unit. Life is the granter of wisdom, and Abba the granter of life. Knowledge we stumble upon, sometimes in very dark places, others very bright. But it is life that gives us the mechanics to retool knowledge into wisdom . . .
CONNECTING POINTS –page 60
In the NEWS
With Social Media today we are able to see things from all over the world, as they are happening. In our “In the NEWS” feature we will be scanning local and national news about stories that would touch the desire of genealogists no matter where you are.
Borger, TX - What started as a routine AT&T apartment installation in Fort Worth turned into a hunt to return a lost family treasure. During the installation, AT&T employee Scott Martin discovered a scrapbook with hundreds of old pictures of a Borger family, some dating back to the 1890's. With a little research, he and his supervisor, Pam Ballew, were able to track down a relative still living in Borger today.
After years of sitting in an apartment complex boiler room, the scrapbook finally found its way home and James Harder now has a piece of his family's history. "I didn't even know that book existed," said Harder. "But I knew from where she was telling me the apartment complex was that my aunt had lived there for a while and obviously she left it there when she moved."
CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
Harder said the scrapbook belonged to his grandmother. Because of it, he has now seen some of his relatives for the first time. "I'd never seen but one picture of my grandfather before and none of my greatgrandparents. I didn't even know their names. I've got lots to look up in here now. It's really neat just to have family history spring up on you out of nowhere. I'm loving it."
Harder said he is thankful the AT&T employees took the time to return the scrapbook to him instead of just throwing it away. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate that lady sending that to me and being so nice to call and everything. She went way out of her way to do something for somebody and it's great." Harder plans on redoing the scrapbook and sending copies to his remaining relatives so it stays in the family for good. Madison Alewel - NewsChannel 10
This story was downloaded from internet at http://www.newschannel10.com/story/28427031/att-employeeuncovers-lost-pictures-more-than-a-century-old on March14, 2015. A video is also available at NEWS Channel 10’s web site.
CONNECTING POINTS –page 62
For the younger generation the mention of 3-D is state of the art in how to view images. Yet in reality, 3-D images have been around for over 165 years. Around 1850 a way figured out that two identical images, spaced just right and viewed through specially ground lenses would create a 3-D image to the viewer. They called it “Stereo Vision”. Stereo cards and viewers of every type would be found everywhere from about 1870 to 1910 when the fad began to recede.
CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
CONNECTING POINTS –page 64
Stereo view cards had two pictures mounted for parallel viewing, on 7 x 3.5 inch heavy cards, usually curved slightly with axis along the long length. The pictures were taken with a two-lensed camera, recording the subject from two points of view separated by about 2.5 inches, duplicating what our two eyes see.
Sometimes view cards show stereo equipment, such as these two ladies using what appear to be stereoscopes of quality a cut above those usually found in homes. The title was intended to have double meaning. Inquired whether anyone knew the make and model of the stereoscope in the lady's lap. I got an email from someone who has one. The response was "It is a "Stereo-graphoscope" viewer that was made in 1896 by the H.C. White Co. exclusively for Sears. The lenses are nickel plated, and they are adjustable. It is rare
CONNECTING POINTS 窶天OL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
In his 1888 marketing campaign to promote his first simplified mass-produced camera and the idea of the "family snap," Eastman had suggested that a "collection of these pictures could be made to furnish a pictorial history of life as it is lived by the owner, that will grow more valuable every day that passes." Life as it was being lived by working class people in the 1880's was very tough, but the design of Eastman's camera did not make it possible for them to photograph crucial elements of their histories such as working conditions in the factories or the insides of their homes.
The Stereograph Format (info from http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/stereo/background.html
Stereographs consist of two nearly identical photographs or photomechanical prints, paired to produce the illusion of a single three-dimensional image, usually when viewed through a stereoscope. Typically, the images are on card mounts, but they may take the form of daguerreotypes, glass negatives, or other processes. Stereographs were first made in the 1850s and are still made today. They were most popular between 1870 and 1920. In 1851 stereo daguerreotypes were exhibited for the first time to the general public at the London International Exhibition (Crystal Palace). Shortly thereafter, American photographers began making stereographs. One of the first American photographic firms to produce stereographs was the team of William and Frederick Langenheim. The Library owns a set of their early stereoviews of American cities on the East Coast. By 1860 both amateur photographers and publishing firms were making stereographs. The major stereo publishers sold their views by mail order, door-to-door salesmen, and in stores. Stereographs were sold individually and in boxed sets.
... The value that Eastman had in mind was not the valuable role that the documentation of the lives of working people could play in their understanding of their own social conditions and in their efforts to change society. He was thinking of the value in nostalgia which had the opposite effect--helping people to accept the world as it was--to recalibrate the high spots and to convince themselves that their lives were all sunny scenes. Photography, as it is generally understood, taking pictures on the simplest equipment and having imprints made for family use, has been created by simplification rather than education. The simplification has been achieved by restricting the amount of control the photographer has over equipment and processing. Su Braden,Committing Photography
CONNECTING POINTS –page 66
I had come across a pictorial about family resemblances. It showed two pictures of two separate family members, which had been merged together. The series include mother daughter, sisters, father daughter, father son and brothers. It was fascinating to see the resemblances in their faces. Skin tones and how their individual faces where structured. I tried it with my own family members. Even though I knew these people resembled each other, it was surprising to see just how much once the pictures were merged. In some of the pictures I tried to make the subjects about the same age in the pictures. My daughter with her daughter both at age four. Etc.
CONNECTING POINTS 窶天OL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
Submitted by Derek Veal Derek Veal on the left and his 2x great grandfather on the right. Amazing similarities.
Submitted by Ginny Tice Ginny Tice on the right and her grandmother on the left. 75 years age difference!
Submitted by Nancy Yarmak Nancy Yarmak on the right and her grandmother on the left. Incedible likeness!
CONNECTING POINTS –page 64
The program selected is PaintShop Pro x5. I have been using the program for a few years but certainly not a professional photo editor. Following a process of layering the photos on top of each other, then slowly erasing the image placed on top. The next step is to move the images around until the features and lines of the face matched relatively close. The blended photo is then merged and a filter applied. Black and white as well as Sepia Toning seems to have the best results. The picture featured to the left was completed with a sepia tone filter. It’s almost magical once the picture is finished. It’s one thing when you are told “you look just like your Mother” It’s another thing when the proof is sitting in front of you on your computer screen.
CONNECTING POINTS –VOL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
After merging numerous family photos together, I wanted to share the images. I uploaded them to a few genealogy related groups on The Facebook social network. Soon others followed and flooded the feeds on the pages. So I created a new page called “Genetic Throwback” so that people could post their own creations. I helped with a few of the members pictures; others took the task on and did it themselves. I found it interesting within my own set of pictures, some I chose to merge did not necessarily resemble each other until I actually finished the merging process. It is important to remember that I did not enhance the photos or change them in anyway, other than merging them, using the subjects face’s for a side by side comparison.
The side by side images to the right are random images taken from the Genetic Throwback facebook group. They represent 1 to 4 generations of separations and have not been blended into a single image in this article.
To check more blended images and generational similarities be sure to join the facebook group Genetic Throwbacks by linking to :
https://www.facebook.com/groups/761 792250537089/
CONNECTING POINTS –page 66
The Youngest Band Leader In today's viral internet world, cuteness is a quality measured in hits. It's the number we use to assess which video in the endless stream of cuddly kittens, loveable pups, and dancing babies is the most distracting image in our modern daily life. I think vintage photographs should also have a proper unit of measurement for cute- the Antique Adorable Winsome Scale or AAWS, and this small boy dressed in a band leader's uniform should easily rate 9.9 AAWS. The unmarked photo, produced by White, a noted theatrical photography studio in New York City, might seem to be just another young boy with a stick and wearing a hat one-size too small. Surely there would be more to his story if we just knew his name. Which we do, He is Roy DeForest.
By Michael Brubaker
CONNECTING POINTS 窶天OL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
Roy's picture is also found on the back of a souvenir postcard of the New York Orphan Boys' Band, a story I wrote 2 years ago on the boys' band of the Hebrew Orphan Asylum and the man who was the orphanage's gym teacher and band director, Jimmy DeForest. The story of Jimmy, an Irish immigrant who worked as a circus trapeze artist, a boxer and then trainer of Jack Dempsey, and for a time was also the manager of an orphan boys' band is a fascinating tale. But you will have to go back to that post to read it. The story in this post is about his son, Roy De Forest- the youngest LEADER in the WORLD imitating SOUSA.
In the 1910 census for Ocean township, Monmouth, NJ, Roy, a.k.a. James R. DeForest, is listed at age 10 with his father James DeForest age 41, and his mother Catherine age 29.
CONNECTING POINTS –page 72
Did his mother have a favorite photo of Roy? She had a lot to choose from, as here is a second one of Roy with hat in hand. How many AAWS would you give it? This cut down cabinet photo, undoubtedly also by White, has no markings, so we can only guess at his age, about 4 or 5 maybe. That is unless we know where to look. Have you spotted the clue?
There are letters on Roy's band leader's cap that spell RACHEL GOLDSTEIN. What could that mean? This is not the period for designer uniforms, and the band was called the New York Orphan Boys' Band from the Hebrew Orphan Asylum. Why does it say Rachel Goldstein? Was she a patron? In a way, yes. A fictional one. It took some hunting, but I discovered the connection was in the title for a play. A melodrama in 4 acts by Theodore Kremer called Rachel Goldstein, or The Struggles of a Poor Girl in New York. produced for the Broadway stage in October 1903.
CONNECTING POINTS 窶天OL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
The story follows a young Hebrew girl named Rachel Goldstein as she and her father immigrate to America from Russia. (In this era the word Hebrew is the equivalent of Jew which was almost never used, and Russia was much larger and included most of Poland and Eastern Europe). The plot involves shipboard romance; murder; storms at sea; false arrest; amnesia by lightning strike; deceptive disguises; diamond theft; gunshots; courtroom drama; poisoned cigars; and finally rescue by the wealthy brother who happens to be the jury foreman and who then dies. Let's just say it's complicated, but in the end Rachel gets her guy and they live happily ever after on 5th Avenue. Basically it’s a standard soap opera plot, only Kosher.
CONNECTING POINTS –page 74
The sets for this elaborate production were filled with every kind of theatrical effect including a recreation of the passenger ship, Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse; the Savoy Hotel restaurant; and a typical New York street market. This excerpt came from the play's synopsis in a review from October 1903.
NY Morning Telegraph June 28, 1903
The sets for this elaborate production were filled with every kind of theatrical effect including a recreation of the passenger ship, Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse; the Savoy Hotel restaurant; and a typical New York street market. This excerpt came from the play's synopsis in a review from October 1903.
Next we are brought to Hester Street, where Rachel and her father are peddling. The Hebrew Boys' Orphan Asylum Band, by permission of the management, is allowed to march on the scene and play several selections to the pronounced edification of the auditors on and off the stage. From Hester Street the action moves into Rachel's room. Here more "thrills" are passed out.
CONNECTING POINTS 窶天OL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
In June 1903, the New York Morning Telegram ran a half page feature on the star of the show Louise Beaton as she prepared for her role as Rachel Goldstein. The novelty in this play was her portrayal of a Yiddish heroine, apparently a character not seen before on the New York stage. The illustrations show the actress as the young unpolished immigrant girl (top left), and then as the more sophisticated socialite she becomes at the end of the play (top right). The lower figures are when she assumes a disguise as her father to foil the dastardly villains. This play was quite successful, attracting an audience of many of the people depicted in the production. At one performance when Miss Beaton was indisposed, there was a near riot of patrons demanding their money back. But one newspaper account from May 1903, caught my attention. In the spring of 1903, Louise Beaton (who was married to theater producer A.H. Woods and was not Jewish as far as I know) traveled to Russia's Bessarabia to observe the Yiddish culture there and study for this role of Rachel Goldstein. Bessarabia is on the Black Sea in what is now Moldavia. In this report she describes the antiSemitic unrest that led to the infamous Kishinev pogrom on April 6, 1903. A Russian newspaper had made outrageous allegations of Jewish involvement in a murder-suicide of Christians and then incited the public to act against the Jews. The riots left 47 or 49 Jews murdered, 92 severely wounded and 700 houses destroyed.
This cover page of sheet music came from the Wikipedia entry for the Kishinev pogrom and shows how this monstrous event affected the New York public. Louise Beaton's statement of concern for the Jewish people of this region seems genuine and heartfelt. The experience clearly left a deep impression with her and added to her empathy with the character of Rachel.
CONNECTING POINTS –page 76
This tragic crime was the start of a larger effort to remove the Jewish population of Russia and more pogroms came in 1905. This combination of political revolution and racial hatred would lead to more Jewish emigration from Russia and Eastern Europe. A scene depicted not only in Rachel Goldstein but in another later Broadway musical - Fiddler on the Roof .
This cover page of sheet music came from the Wikipedia entry for the Kishinev pogrom and shows how this monstrous event affected the New York public. Louise Beaton's statement of concern for the Jewish people of this region seems genuine and heartfelt. This experience clearly left a deep impression with her and added to her empathy with the character of Rachel.
The Hebrew Orphans Asylum was one of over 50 orphanages in the boroughs of New York. There were institutions for unfortunate children of every kind - Catholic, Protestant, Hebrew (Jewish), Colored, Scandinavian, and even a lodging house for destitute newsboys. The Hebrew Orphans Asylum first organized its Boys' Band in the 1880s, and by 1903 it was already a recognized musical group making regular appearances at parades and grand ceremonies all around New York City. Many of the young musicians would go on to find work in the New York theater orchestras and bands. A Broadway melodrama that portrayed the immigrant Jewish community would make a perfect promotion for the charity to show off the boys in the band. These photographs of the 3 year old band leader Roy DeForest would also make an attractive souvenir to sell in the theater lobby.
So how many AAWS does little Roy rate now?
CONNECTING POINTS 窶天OL 1: ISS 1 - Spring 2015
When our staff first came across Michael Brubaker’s BLOG we were fascinated at the depth he researched what to others might seem a minor study. We look forward to presenting you more of Brubaker’s BLOG posts through the pages of CONNECTING POINTS magazine. Here is a little he shared with us when he agreed to be a contributing writer.
Temposenzatempo A photo gallery of timeless musicians
Initially when I started TempoSenzaTempo.blogspot.com my focus was on the musical history, but increasingly the background of many photos has taken me deeper into the world of genealogy research. Since the internet now provides an ever expanding resource for people searching for their family roots I always try to include as many personal details on the people in my photos as I may know. Several times over the past few years I have received email messages from descendants who have found my stories on their ancestors and it has been a very satisfying reward for my efforts. For the most part, the photographs and postcards in my collection are all too old to have any copyright restrictions. I usually scan them at 600dpi and improve them with digital software to increase contrast and definition. I do not use any watermark. In the near future I do plan to self publish a small book with a collection of my short fiction and a few histories from my blog. I now have 240 musical stories that I have posted since 2009, and among my favorites on genealogy research are several from this year including the one I wrote just last week on Brown's Family Orchestra. My stories on Prisoner #7280 - A Lifer in Music , Mr. Kellogg's Keyed Bugle , Two Musical Child Prodigies , On The Road in White City, Kansas , and A Royal Family are some others that I am also very proud of. My collection is constantly expanding and I have many more stories and histories that are at various stages of research. As you may have noticed I use a wonderful thematic website, Sepia Saturday as my inspiration for choosing what to write about each week. The contributors to this worldwide club all share an interest in old photographs and family history and I have grown to love their various enthusiasms and wonderful story telling. The man who started it, Alan Burnett, lives in England and is a fantastic writer with one of the best blogs that I know –NewsFromNowhere1948.blogspot.com . Many of his stories are about his family history and beloved Yorkshire and include many fascinating photographs. You might find his work very suited for a new magazine.
Michael Brubaker can be contacted at: mkbrbkr@gmail.com
CONNECTING POINTS –page 78
Join us on June 15th, 2015 for the release of 2nd edition of CONNECTING POINTS magazine. Our theme is focused on the “family vacation” and translating all the journals, postcards, and memories from family trips into your family tree. We’re ready to go. Are you?