Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - The Tree

My Mom, Aunt Cathy, and Mary Lucille Gilson (at Mary's house)

It's that time of year again, and even though last year was my first year participating in the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories (and blogging), I really had fun.  Rather than repeat my posts from last year, I'm going to be asking family members to share with me their memories.  I haven't decided yet if I will stick with one family member this year and save the other stories for next year, but I figured it was a good way to mix it up and to gather all those great memories that we want remembered forever!

The following are my mom's memories of the Christmas Tree (and Christmas in general) when she was growing up, edited just a bit so you may understand some of the people and places that were referred to...


When Eddie and I were young my mom and dad would send us next door to Aunt Mary Quirk's house and we'd have dinner with Aunt Mary, Aunt Kay and, when I was very young, grandpa Quirk.  At our bedtime mom came over and took us back to the house, but everything was dark in the living room because Santa Claus was coming that night.


It was so hard going to sleep.  I remember lying awake and hearing noises in the living room but knew I couldn't see what it was.


My father would set up the entire two train set - a big green one (I don't remember the brand) and a little black one (a Lionel).  I guess my mom was in charge of the tree.  It was always a real one with big bulb lights and bubble lights.  I remember always flicking the bubble lights that didn't bubble.  I think the bubble lights on the tree are the reason I still like them so much.  My dad helped grandpa Brown.  When we came down in the morning Santa had been there and it was magic knowing he had done everything while we slept.  He even came into our rooms and put our filled stockings on our beds.


My Grandpa Brown died when I was in 6th grade and it must have been the first Christmas after his death (Cathy was still little) that my mom told us that Santa needed our help that year so we were going to set up the platform, trains and tree and Santa would finish it.  A couple of years later we helped even more by decorating the tree.  I think I believed in Santa until I was in Grebey Junior High School.


Wonderful memories.  Of course, we had to go to the children's mass at St. Gabriel's on Christmas morning.  By that time we had gone through all of our presents at home.  When we came back it was on to the aunts' house (Mary and Kay) next door and got more presents.   By the afternoon we ended up at Aunt Marian and Grandpa Brown's house which was right behind ours.  My mom made the best turkey and pumpkin pie and when it was all finished, Ed and I would go to the Gramley's house to see what Malcom and Tommy got for Christmas.  Nobody in the neighborhood was well off but everyone's father except one had a job.  It was good times.


When we got older and my mom turned the garage into a TV room, we started putting the tree up there.  I think my parents loved Christmas as much as we did.  When we were older my dad would give us money and we'd go to Fellins jewelry or Deisroth's to buy presents for my mom.


I'm sure Ed and Cathy did what I did in trying to duplicate that sense of joy and Santa.  I remember staying up to 4:00 a.m. with your father on Christmas Eve putting together that Barbie three (or was it four) level house.  Good times and very good memories.


Next week I'll feel like a kid again as we bring up the Christmas tree from the crawl space and bring out all the old decorations and bubble lights and put baby's breath on the branches.


Thanks mom for sharing these memories!

Wedding Wednesday - Did You Ever Get the Feeling You're Related...

Green Bay Press-Gazette

This is one of those obituaries that I have in my collection where I have no doubt the bride is related to my husband, but I have no idea what the relation is...yet!

I often refer back to the scrapbooks that my husband's paternal grandmother put together and that were passed on to me by his mother.  They are a treasure trove indeed (although rarely cited).  I see names that are in my husband's direct line, and I see other names in indirect lines.  So who's related?  Well, my husband's 3rd great grandparents were Charles and Josephe Hermans nee Landeck.

Now that's going pretty far back, but Charles is the last male Hermans I have...and I don't have any brothers or sisters for him, and I know of no children that he and his wife had apart from their daughter, Josephine.  There was obviously another Hermans there somewhere.  At least obvious to me.  Yeah, yeah, I know.  Just because someone shares a last name in my tree doesn't make them related and it's sloppy research to try to find records to fit someone in my husband's tree.  I'm not trying to do that though.  This clipping was cut and pasted into this scrapbook for a reason.  I just need to find out what that reason is.  In this case, with a surname in his line, I'm venturing that it's a distant cousin.  After all, I've been told all the Belgians in that part of Wisconsin were related!  An amusing generalization, but you get my point...

Lucille Hermans and Edward Rueckl were married on October 12, 1943 (as best as I can tell from my not-so-exhaustive-research).  Since there's no date on this clipping, I'm going to ensure I have the right date, by verifying it with the local microfilmed newspapers when I get back to Green Bay for the holidays.  We'll go on from there.  I can, of course, hope that someone will come across this post and be able to help me fill in some of the genealogical blanks and speed me on my way.  Isn't that one of the reasons for me, and many of you, to blog?  We want to find those connections.

On to the wedding announcement of this beautiful bride!

"Lucille Hermans Bride at Tonet

Special to Press-Gazette

LUXEMBURG, Wis. - In a ceremony performed by the Rev. L.A. Dobblesteen at Tonet last Tuesday morning, Miss Lucille Hermans, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hermans of Luxemburg, became the bride of Norbert Rueckl, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Rueckl, also of Luxemburg.

The bride wore a gown of ivory satin with a long train, a V neckline with lace yolk, and long sleeves with V-points over the wrists.  Her fingertip veil was caught in a lace headpiece, and she carried a bouquet of Johanna Hill roses and white pompons.

Miss Hyacinth Rueckl was maid of honor, in blue brocaded satin, and Miss Marie Hermans and Iris Luedtke were bridesmaids.  Veronica Hermans was flower girl.  The best man was Linus Hermans, and the bridegroom's other attendants, Robert Colle and Orville Hermans.

Wedding dinner was served for 175 guests at the bridegroom's home.  He is a farmer, and they will live near Luxemburg."

Military Monday - A Harrowing Escape During WWII

Published in the Green Bay Press-Gazette (date unknown)

I don't know if Edward Duquaine is related to my family at all.  The clipping was taken from a family scrapbook handed down to me.  I haven't made a connection yet, but it's possible that my husband's grandmother clipped the article because it was a heroic tale about a local boy.  We'll see what my research finds in the future!

Edward was born on March 6, 1921 to George and Mabel Duquaine nee Lhose.  He was released from the Army Air Corps on June 5, 1945.  He died of natural causes on August 25, 1998.  He is buried in Allouez Catholic Cemetery, Green Bay, Wisconsin.

"Bombardier Describes Flight Of Disabled Bomber to Safety

By Ed Arndorfer

The story of a crippled B-24 Liberator's nerve-wracking flight from Brux, Germany, to safety behind the Allied lines in Italy is told in a letter received recently by the wife of Lt. Edward J. Duquaine, bombardier on the disabled bomber.

Found Going Rough


'We were unable to keep up with the formation and found the going very rough, with the dead engine vibrating the ship tremendously,' Lt. Duquaine wrote. 'I salvoed the bombs after finding it impossible to follow the rest of the way into the target.  We flew off to the side, hoping and praying that enemy fighters would not find us.'

In the distance the crew could see the other bombers blasting away despite the hornet-like resistance of German pursuit planes.  Meanwhile, the pilot maneuvered far enough away from the objective and yet close enough to be in position to drop in on the formation when it headed for home.

However, that was not the case according to Lt. Duquaine. 'When the formation did return, we were unable to follow and found our plane straggling some 100 miles from Berlin.  I was really sweating over my map keeping track of our position, as I was bombardier and navigator on this trip.

At the half-way mark, a second engine lost all oil pressure and the wing began to shake so that the crew thought it would drop off.

'The pilot gave orders to prepare to bale out,' he related. 'Being over enemy territory, we waited a while longer. Then the propeller froze and once more the plane was in level flight.  The other two engines really had a load and we were flying over water and continually losing altitude.'

Now everything that was loose was tossed overboard, including flak suits and ammunition waist and top turret guns. 'In the excitement,' he recalls, 'one man accidentally threw away part of the radio equipment, and another the flares.'

All the while the Liberator was dropping slowly on two engines and oil pressure was beginning to oscillate on the third. They were winging along the coast, with low clouds making visibility poor.  A field was spotted, but it was decided not to land because Lt. Duquaine was certain it was a German base. Finally the Alp mountains were passed and Pilot Dennis Blackwell, Lyme, Colo., set the bomber down at an advance Allied fighter base without the aid of the radio and flora signals that had been heaved over the side in the confusion.  Lt. Duquaine said that previously he had noticed a fire and by the smoke was able to distinguish the direction of the surface wind.

'That base looked good to us, and if it was not for the advance of our Allied armies in north Italy, we would now be prisoners,' he averred.

Late at night the crew members returned to their base on a bomber which had landed to refuel.

Lt. Duquaine entered the service Oct. 16, 1942, and received his commission last Dec. 4 and Midland, Tex. He arrived overseas on May 1 of this year and since then has flown 40 missions. Recently decorated with the Air Medal with an oak leaf cluster, he is the husband of the former Arivilla Challe, 700 St. George street, and the son of Mr. and Mrs. George Duquaine, route 6."

Sunday's Obituary - An Odd Way to Die

1945 Green Bay Press-Gazette

It seems so trivial.  You pinch your finger in a car door on your wedding day but for it to result in a crippling injury that leaves you bed-ridden and ultimately results in your demise?  This happened to Norman Jadin.  He died back in 1945 and is buried in Holy Trinity Cemetery, Casco, Kewaunee, WI.  Transcribing this obituary just makes me say is thank goodness for modern medicine!

Norman married Eunice Dart around 1937.  Eunice was my husband's 1st cousin twice removed and if it hadn't been for this clipping I most likely never would have known about this marriage.  I knew from the obituary of Arthur A. Dart (her brother) that Eunice had married a man named Clarence Bathke.  From this article I know that not only did she marry Norman Jadin, but that they had a daughter, Patsy.  Great discovery.  More work to do!

"Pinched Finger on Wedding Day, Dies Eight Years Later

Special to Press-Gazette

CASCO, Wis. - An infection which he received when he pinched his finger in a car door on his wedding day nearly eight years ago resulted in the death of Norman Jadin, 27, in a Green Bay hospital at 6 o'clock Wednesday evening.

The infection brought on a serious illness, and Mr. Jadin was badly crippled.  For several years he had been bedridden.  He was born in the town of Brussels April 18, 1918, and since his marriage to the former Eunice Dart, Tonet, had lived in Casco.

Survivors are his wife; a daughter, Patsy, 7; five brothers, Rodery, at home; Tony, in the Army in Missouri; John, with the Army in France; Wallace, with the Army in Germany; and Jule Jr., in the Navy in the South Pacific; four sisters, Mrs. Marion Dart of Casco; Mrs. Grace Malcore of Green Bay; Mrs. Margaret Sticka of Almano, Calif., and Mrs. Joyce Worachek, Casco, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jule Jadin Sr., Casco.

The body will be taken to the Richard Dart home on the Jim Sinklar farm from the Weisner-Massart Funeral home, and the rosary will be recited there tonight and Friday night.  Funeral services will be held at 9:30 Saturday morning at Holy Trinity Catholic church."

[Hand-dated 1945 from the Green Bay Press-Gazette]

Follow Friday on Saturday- The "I'm Always Catching Up" Edition

So Google Reader has been telling me for some time that I had 1000+ posts to read and I finally found time to catch up.  While there were many more posts I would have liked to share with you all, these were the ones that I just had to include.  I'm also posting this on Saturday, because I just couldn't pass up a post on Black Friday, so my followings were postponed until today.  Now to make sure that I keep up on my Reader on a daily  basis....

I'm actually starting out with a post that was not from another blog, but I felt it was significant to genealogists anyway.  As I was reading CNN this week an article on "Brown Babies" in Germany caught my eye.  Perhaps a part of history that we are unfamiliar with, but as genealogists could come across if our research for ourselves or others includes African American ancestors.  Ignoring the political incorrectness of the "Brown Babies" label, the article illustrates that a large number of children (in the thousands) that were given up.  These children were fathered between white women and African American Soldiers following WWII.  The women being encouraged to give up their children and the military moving the Soldier when a relationship was discovered.  Shameful.  Please check out the post, "'Brown Babies' Long Search For Family Identity".

I actually came across this as I was reading the news.  Save A Grave posted the same video.  Very sad that so many people's remains were washed away in Tropical Storm Irene, that only about 1/2 of them have been recovered, and then to top it all off some of the tombstones that had been recovered were stolen/vandalized.  Seriously?

Lorine McGinnis Schulze over at Olive Tree Genealogy has a challenge for us all!  Read about her request that you  give 15 minutes to photograph tombstone at local cemeteries in the "November's Genealogy Challenge" and then get out and photograph those stone and get back with Lorine!  I'll be heading out this weekend!

Greta's Genealogy Bog tells how she is having fun creating a webpage for her family's genealogy in her post, "Fun Stuff You Can Do With Weebly."  I love Weebly.  Thomas MacEntee first introduced me to Weebly in one of his many awesome webinars and I use it almost daily for my PTA's website.  It's so easy, you just drag and drop.  Did I mention FREE too?  Who doesn't love free stuff.  There is a "pro" version with more bells and whistles that you pay for, but I haven't needed it yet.  Greta has reminded me with this great post that I need to do the same and get to creating a page for my family's genealogy.  Check out Greta's experience with Weebly.  Everyone I know that uses it absolutely loves it!

At Faces of My Family, Lisa Swanson Ellam reminds us that sometimes it takes awhile to get the answers we need.  It took 11 months in her case, and a slight surname spelling variation!  Don't you love successes!?!

Jennifer Shoer at the Scrappy Genealogist is, well...scrapping!  Join Jennifer for Scrapbook Sundays.  They've been going on for about a month, but it's never to late to start!  Something I've often wanted to do, but never seemed to find the time.  I'm starting to grab pictures and information and I hope to be joining Jennifer and her fellow participants!  What better way to remember our ancestors and to pass something beautiful on about them!

A great post by Deb Ruth at Adventures in Genealogy where she details some great finds and connections she made through Find-A-Grave.  I'm always a big fan of Find-A-Grave and have had much success there as well.  Don't miss out.  Read her post, "Connecting on Find-A-Grave".

Lots of great stuff out there and I'm going to do everything I can to not get so far behind again!

Happy Black Friday

Is that a contradiction?  I don't think so.  I hear so many people grumpy about Christmas music and items being in stores before Thanksgiving.  I'm an early shopper.  I like to get it all done preferably before Thanksgiving. Once Thanksgiving hits you've got a month to get everything done, and I'd prefer to spend that time decorating the house and baking cookies.  I want my children to have the wonderful holiday experiences that I did when I was younger.  Far too many people rush into the over-crowded stores to do holiday shopping and are in anything but a holiday spirit.  It makes me wonder how it was for my parents.  For their parents...and so on.  I'll have to talk to my mother and mother-in-law about that one.  What was it like?

I like to think of snowy, peaceful streets and shoppers strolling through stores.  Parents baking cookies for excited children.  I do tend to romanticize things though.  I know my mother and her siblings have long commented on how exact "A Christmas Story" was to their reality!

Today, for most people, marks the beginning to the Christmas season.  I know that my sisters-in-law and mother-in-law will most likely be heading out to Bath and Body Works (and various stores throughout the Green Bay area) in search of some great bargains.  I have fond memories of going with them (venturing out on Black Friday was something I never would have considered before becoming a part of the Cayemberg family!).  There are enough grumpy people out there today, but my Green Bay family are simply shining lights on a knock-down, drag-out shopping day.

I clearly recall sharking through the parking lot for a space at the mall and my SIL Lori rolls down the window in the bitter Wisconsin winter.  Hanging half out the passenger window she shouts with an enormous smile and a cheer that I hadn't felt on a Black Friday...ever, "Are you heading back to your car?"  The lady smiles back and points to a spot directly in front of us and near the front doors to the department store.  Who says the Irish are lucky!  Luck of the Belgian/Germans here!  On the way out of the department store, Lori flags down the nearest person and tells them where we're pulling out. They bring smiles to people's faces wherever they go.

My father-in-law was always up early and would head out at 3:30 or 4:00am on Black Friday over some deal he saw in the newspaper on Thanksgiving day.  He seldom got the item, but he loved the adventure of it.  He had the excitement of the holidays.

Whether deals were found or missed, a nice breakfast was had and stories were told.  Truthfully I've only been in Green Bay a handful of times on Black Friday, but every time I've been there (well, and any time I'm with my in-laws) shopping is involved.  I don't think I've ever caught a truly great deal when I've gone out on Black Friday, but I'm definitely in the Christmas spirit after being out!  Could you imagine if everyone could be so kind and cheerful at the beginning of what's supposed to mark such a season?

For those who think Christmas has become too commercialized.  You need to remember that Christmas and the holidays aren't what retailers make it.  It's what you make of it.  And frankly, there is usually something to be purchased because we do something special for the season.  Whether it's extra baked goods, a fresh pine tree or presents.  What you purchase is up to you.  You decide.  Not the retailers.  

This is a very traditional time of year.  Whether you "believe" in Santa visiting all the good boys and girls in a celebration of the birth of Jesus, or whether you prefer to leave Santa out of it.  If you celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice or any other winter holiday, it's a time steeped in tradition.  Have you started your own traditions or are you doing something you learned from your parents?  And if you learned it from your parents were they passing it on?  Find out.  Find out before you can no longer ask.

Maybe people need to look at the Holiday merchandise in the stores in October and the seasonal music playing early as a ramp up for their good attitudes?  Get in the Christmas spirit early.  After all shouldn't we  keep Christmas throughout the year?...before we are visited by three spirits reminding us to ditch the Humbug!

[This was originally posted on "Black Friday" in 2010.  I think it's appropriate every year.]

Thankful Thursday - Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  I hope everyone's day is filled with as little stress as possible.  Make sure to take time to reflect on how much easier we have it compared to our ancestors and that the "Good Ol' Days" weren't always so good!

I read a wonderful post on Wednesday from a blog I follow called, "Living on a Dime," and it's a post well worth reading.  It reminds us all to be thankful for the things we've got even if they aren't quite perfect or what we want.  Give it a read and share your thanks.

In the spirit of giving thanks, these are a few of the things that I'm grateful for:

-My husband.  For being able to tolerate my moodiness and late nights.  Who always supports my dreams and keeps me grounded and focused on what is really important in life and for giving me two beautiful boys (for Christmas I would like a third).

-My boys.  They may drive me absolutely nuts sometimes, but I'm a tough woman to please.  They are incredibly smart and well behaved.  They don't get into trouble in school and only pick on each other.  They are extremely empathetic and strive to do what's right.

-My family.  We're talking everyone not living in my house now.  I've got a great mother and step-father, three incredible sisters, awesome cousins, aunt and uncles, and a gorgeous niece.  And that's only on my side of the family.  I've also been blessed to have just about the best in-laws in the world.  In fact, I don't really look at them as in-laws.  They are family, mother, father, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins and 5 of the handsomest nephews and cutest niece (and grand-niece) I could have ever asked for.

-You.  Without you reading all the silliness I post, I'd be talking to myself and on my way to being committed!  Your encouragement, advice and support mean more than I could ever say.

-My government.  Yes, people complain about those folks in power, and they aren't getting much done right now, but it's the best in the world regardless of it's drawbacks.

-Health.  My family (apart from some cooties here and there) are fairly healthy.

-Health insurance.  For having insurance so that when we aren't healthy we can get better and for check ups and immunizations that keep us from getting sick.  To exist without it would be devastating and unimaginable.

-Water.  The severe drought in Texas reminds me how lucky we are to still have water when some communities are beginning to run out.

-My house.  It's not my dream home, but it's beautiful, sturdy, and clean.  It shelters us from the excessive summer heat, the crazy Killeen winds, and the cold (if you can believe that it gets cold, here...it does!).

-Food.  We are lucky to have food when there are many people that will be going without not just on Thanksgiving, but go hungry each day.  Remember them and not just during the holidays.

-My church.  I don't go as frequently as I should, but it does lift me up and remind me of the person I want to be.  It reminds me of my heritage and ancestors each time I go.  It is something we have in common.

-A good school for my children.  To have a school that has teachers that care for and educate my children, that challenge my children and encourage my children.  To know that they are safe at school and that they are in the best learning environment we could give them, inspires me to tolerate the PTA nonsense that has been holding up my business and career goals.

-The PTA.  Ironic isn't it, but it's true.  Parent involvement, regardless of how pathetically low it is nowadays, is essential for our children.  The PTA is a great resource for families, schools, teachers and the community.  Being their president has helped me learn to be a bit more diplomatic and less drill-sergeant-like when dealing with less than nice people (but the drill sergeant does come out when needed).

-Cub Scouts.  I cannot say how important scouting is to our family.  I wasn't an active parent in scouting when I first started and pushed it off as a father-son activity.  It is not.  It has helped me work with my oldest son to prepare him for independence better than I could have done alone.  It has forced me to let go and let him be the wonderful young man that he is and that he will be.  It has taught him so many life lessons.  My Pack is exceptional as are it's leaders and boys.

I could go on all night.  I realize now, and need to every day, that no matter how hard things are, they are not too bad.  Sure someone has it better than I do.  I'm the 99%...but you know, many people have it worse than I do.  I will be thinking and praying for those struggling during the holidays and throughout the year and hoping that our nation can eventually be one, where kids don't go to bed hungry or in a car (or worse).

So this season when you hear that bell ringing, or see that giving tree, or the box for the local food drive, give thanks for what you have and then give...even a little...to help someone else that isn't as fortunate.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and pass the cranberry sauce!

Wedding Wednesday - Mr and Mrs Wilbert Dart's Golden Anniversary

"Golden Wedding - Mr. and Mrs. Wilbert Dart, rt. 3, Luxemburg, recently observed their 50th wedding anniversary.  They have one daughter, one granddaughter and one great-grandson."

Wilbert is my husband's great great uncle.  He was born on February 18, 1897 in Wisconsin and is the son of Eugene and Josephine Dart nee Hermans and was the youngest of 12 known children.    Wilbert married Alice Delveaux at the end of December 1919 or the beginning of January 1920 (I found a website which noted a license issued on 02JAN1920, so I need to check into this some more), and had one daughter, Bertha.

Wilbert served in the Army during WWI.  He enlisted/was drafted on August 8, 1918 and was discharged on September 2, 1919.  Just over a year of service.  He died on June 11, 1984 in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin.

Alice Delveaux was born on Jun 4, 1893 (parents unknown) in Wisconsin.  She died on December 15, 1976 in Luxemburg, Kewaunee County, Wisconsin.  Alice and Wilbert are buried in the Shrine of the Good Shepherd Mausoleum in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

[Hand-dated December 28, 1969.  This was most likely the anniversary date rather than the publication date and was most likely published in the Green Bay Press-Gazette]

Tombstone Tuesday - Eugene and Josephine Dart

Eugene and Josephine's tombstone (why did I not clean it when I was there!)

Eugene Dart

Eugene and Josephine Dart nee Hermans are my husband's 2nd great grandparents.  Eugene was born on September 18, 1845 in  Grand-Leez, Namur, Belgium to Jean Baptiste Sr and Marie Josephe Dart nee Podor.  He was the fourth of six known children: Jean Baptiste Jr, Marie Julienne, Jules Joseph, Eugene (of course), Antoinette, and Desira.

He married Josephine Hermans in 1871 in Wisconsin and they had twelve known children:

Louisa
Charles
Jean Baptiste
Odile (also spelled Odele)
Adolphe
Jule
Desirea
Mary (my husband's great grandmother)
August Joseph
William
Eli
Wilbert

Josephine Dart nee Hermans

Josephine was born in Belgium (location unknown) on March 23, 1851 to Charles and Josephe Hermans nee Landeck.  While I haven't been able to confirm any siblings enough to warrant putting them in my tree (I've found some, but my research hasn't convinced me yet!), I was able to find another tid-bit while searching for this blog post...Her parents' marriage in Belgium!  Very nice...different blog post though!

Eugene died in 1924 and Josephine died on October 25, 1930 in Wisconsin.  They are buried in Saint Martin's Cememtery, Kewaunee County, Wisconsin.


[Thank you Cheryl (no not me) for sharing the Dart pictures with me!]

Military Monday - T/5 Norman Falish, A Casualty of WWII

Green Bay Press-Gazette

Norman enlisted (according to WWII Enlistment records on Ancestry.com) on December 1, 1942 from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  He enlisted to be a Warrant Officer and his rank in the Ancestry.com database for "US Rosters of WWII Dead" is Technician Fifth Grade.  His service number was 36287378 and before enlisting he was a Machinist.  He is listed as being single with dependents (according to Ancestry enlistment records).  Perhaps his parents were considered his dependents?

While conducting some research on Norman in order to find a year of death for him, I was able to connect with a fellow Ancestry.com researcher that had Norman in his family tree.  He was able to relate to me the information on Norman's tombstone and that he is buried in Robinsonville Presbyterian Cemetery, Champion, Brown Cty, WI.  Norman was born on September 22, 1922 and died on December 13, 1944 in France.  His tombstone reads, "In memory of our son, T/5 Norman Falish, gave his life in defense of his country in France" and then there is a veteran marker that gives his unit as, "411 Infantry, 103 Infantry Division, WWII".  His parents are also listed on his tombstone as Mr. and Mrs. John Falish (just like in the obituary).  Thank you, Bruce for all the great information!

His obituary states that he had five brothers.  Looking at the 1930 census his parents were John and Minnie Falish and his brothers were Charles, Goldie, Alvin, Clarence, and John.  On this census there were 3 cousins living with the family at that time with a last name of Laurent.  Seeing that I think that perhaps Norman was a distant relative of my husband's since the hubby's paternal grandmother was a Laurent and she was the initial clipper of all these newspaper articles I have.  Now I just have to figure out the family connection!

Want a wrench thrown into the research works?  When I was searching Ancestry to see which of his brothers were also serving (and if any were casualties as well), I came across a card in the "AJHA WWII Jewish Servicemen Cards" for a T/5 Norman Falish with a next of kin listed as Minnie Falish from Wisconsin.  The inquiry date would have been after his death.  I'll need to look into these cards some more, because on first glance I'm told that they were for Jewish-American Soldiers that served, but Norman was listed on his enlistment papers as Protestant.  Interesting.  Perhaps a parent/grandparent was Jewish.  Unfamiliar ground to me, but isn't that what makes all this research interesting!?!  Anyone with Jewish research experience that may be able to shed the light on any of this.  Granted, I have conducted a reasonably exhaustive search, but so far I'm fairly certain that these Normans are the same person.

Onward to the obituary!

"Memorial Services for Norman Falish Sunday

Special to Press-Gazette

NEW FRANKEN, Wis. - Memorial services for T/5 Norman Falish, who died Dec. 13 from wounds received in action in France, will be held at 10 o'clock Sunday morning at the Robinsonville Presbyterian church, with the Rev. Marvin Kruse in charge.  Two young ladies of the church will sing special humans.

Born Sept. 24, 1922, in the town of Scott, T/5 Falish entered the Army Dec. 12, 1942, and had been overseas only a few months before being fatally wounded.

Survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Falish, New Franken, and five brothers, two of them in the Army."

The two brothers that served?  Charles (enlisted 04JUN1942) Alvin (enlisted 19NOV1942).  Something not mentioned in the article?  Another brother, John Falish (Jr.), enlisted after his big brother, Norman, died.  His enlistment date was 26JUN1944.  They all survived the war.

[This clipping was one of many passed on to me by my mother-in-law from Green Bay, WI.  There is no date on the clipping.]

Sunday's Obituary - Jule Dart

Jule Dart was my husband's great grand uncle and the sixth child of Eugene and Josephine Dart nee Hermans.  He was born on February 5, 1882 in Wisconsin.

The obituary did a pretty good job at naming his siblings and children, but since it only mentioned their married surnames, I'll correct that here (such a pet peeve of mine, but it was a sign of the times).

The children of Eugene and Josephine were: Louisa, Charles, Jean Baptiste, Odele (as spelled Odile) Vandenhouten (spelled differently in our tree than below), Adolphe, Jule, Desirea Vandenhouten, Mary Laurent (my husband's great grandmother), August, William, Eli, and Wilbert.

Discovery - I didn't have a husband for Louisa in my tree, but apparently I need to look into Louis Mathy!

Jule and Odile had five known children: Louis, Anna Le Mense, Melvin, Julius, and Lillian Claflin/Killen

Discovery - Lillian's husband's name is listed in the obituary of her brother, Melvin, as Joseph Claflin.  I imagine that she married a second time, and that her first husband was Ed Killen, but I need to verify this.

"Jule Dart Dies in Hospital at Age 67

Jule Dart, 67, 1256 Day street, died Sunday afternoon in a local hospital. He had been ill for a year, and had been a patient at the hospital for one day.

Born in Tonet, he was married to the former Odile Motquin 45 years ago. He was formerly employed in Brussels, and worked as a farmer until five years ago when he and Mrs. Dart moved to Green Bay.

Survivors are his wife; three sons, Melvin, Sturgeon Bay; Julius, Little Sturgeon, and Louis, Green Bay; two daughters, Mrs. Ed Killen, Sturgeon Bay, and Mrs. William Lemense, Green Bay; 12 grandchildren; five brothers, John, August and William of Tonet, Eli of Luxemburg, and Wilbert, Walhain; and four sisters, Mrs. Louis Mathy, La Crosse, Mrs. Eugene Van Den Houten and Mrs. Victor Laurent of Green Bay, and Mrs. Louis Van Den Houten of Tonet.

The body is at the Dupont-Malcore Funeral home where the rosary will be said at 8 o'clock each evening, with the Rev. Peter Skell in charge Wednesday evening.

Funeral services will be held at 9 o'clock Thursday morning in SS. Peter and Paul church. Father Skell will officiate and burial will be in St. Martin cemetery in Tonet."

[Hand dated December 25, 1949.  There is no publication information but the clipping was most likely from the Green Bay Press Gazette and the date most likely refers to the date of death rather than publication]

Wedding Wednesday - Mr and Mrs Eli Dart's Golden Anniversary

Seeing a Golden Anniversary has always fascinated me.  You don't see them all the time. Making that landmark anniversary is a true testament to the love between to people.

Eli Dart was the son of Eugene and Josephine Dart nee Hermans.  He was the 11th of 12 known children and was born on September 21, 1894 in Wisconsin.  He enlisted in the Army during World War I on March 28, 1918 and was discharged on September 5, 1919.  Shortly thereafter he married Edith (last name unknown) on November 11, 1919, and died on February 21, 1982.  Edith was born on July 10, 1899 in Wisconsin and died in October 13, 1981.  They are buried in the Shrine of the Good Shepherd in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

"Wed 50 Years - Mr. and Mrs. Eli Dart, Rt. 3, Luxemburg, recently observed their 50th wedding anniversary.  They were married Nov. 11, 1919 at Tonet and have one daughter, two grandchildren and five great-grandchildren."

The clipping was passed on to me by my mother-in-law and was hand-dated 1969.  There is no publication information for the clipping, but it was most likely from the local Green Bay newspaper the Press-Gazette.

Tombstone Tuesday - Do You Understand What it Says?

A tombstone can tell you a lot...if you know what it says!

Here we have a tombstone for Ernestine E. Hermann.  It tells you that her maiden name (name at birth/born as) was Muller (also spelled with an umlaut over the "u", and as Mueller).  It also tells you that her husband was Valentin Hermann.  She was born on September 28, 1860 and died on May 18, 1904.

Now most genealogists would be able to figure most of that out without knowing German, but if you weren't careful you could get it wrong.

Anyway, Valentin and Ernestine Hermann nee Muller are my husband's 2nd great grandparents.  Ernestine was born in Germany and they were married in Wisconsin around 1881. They had 5 known children:  Carl, Elizabeth, Dorathea (my husband's great grandmother), George and Valentine (Jr).  Ernestine and Valentin are buried in Union Cemetery, Theresa, Dodge County, WI

A bit odd.  I never realized that Ernestine was only 43 when she died.  She was fairly young. Sometimes I forget that just because these people lived what seems to be a long time ago, it doesn't mean that they were actually old.  How sad that she still had children that were living at home when she died.  I will have to go in search of her death certificate (which I may have in a stack of papers), because I would like to know why she died so young.

Military Monday - Sgt Leander Aurie Killed In Action (WWII)

I don't know if Leander Aurie is any relation to my husband's side of the family or if his paternal grandmother, when she was clipping articles for the scrapbook I have, also included articles on people that she knew.  He was a member of the same parish so it's possible.

Relative or not, SGT Aurie's family should be proud of his career.  Always a tragedy when our servicemembers don't come home.

After a little research on Ancestry, I discovered that SGT Aurie enlisted in the Army Air Corps from Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 15OCT1942 as a Private.  He was born in 1923, was 70 inches tall and weighed 178 pounds.  His service number was 16132239.

The clipping, like many in my scrapbook, lack publication information, so there's no date for his death.  Looking at some online family trees (and taking them with a large dash of salt), he is listed as having been born on 23JAN1923.  His date of death would have been January 1944. Just short of his 21st birthday.  Now the clipping I have states that he was reported missing on January 11th (1944), and the family trees I found with him in them both had his date of death as January 1st, 1944.  So a heavy dash of salt with that date of death!

When conducting a quick Google search I came across an extremely well-written page about SGT Howard Chantelaine.  SGT Chantelaine was the ball turret gunner on the same B17 that SGT Aurie was on.  The webpage (here) gave details about the plane crash as described by the only survivor, 2LT Lloyd Crabtree.  The mission being flown was to an aircraft factory in Halberstadt and was described on the site as "one of the fiercest air battles of Europe" and that just before the plane was shot down, SGT Aurie reported he had just shot down a plane (an ME210).  The webpage is well worth the read.

Thank you for your service, SGT Aurie (and the entire crew of that B17)!

"Sgt. Leander Aurie Killed In Action

Sgt. Leander Aurie, 20, reported missing over Germany Jan. 11, was killed in action, according to a report received from German sources by the International Red Cross.  The news was telegraphed to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Aurie, 1275 Day street, by the War department,  A requiem mass will be said in SS. Peter and Paul church at 9:30 Monday morning.

Sgt. Aurie was waist gunner on a Flying Fortress, and also served as armorer.  He had been in England since last November, and was home on furlough last August.  A graduate of East High school in the class of 1941, he was employed in the Four Wheel Drive plant, Clintonville, at the time of his enlistment in the fall of 1942.  He attended armorer's school at Lowry Field, Colo., and won his gunner's wings at Las Vegas, Nev., after which he joined the Flying Fortress unit at Geiger Field, Wash.,

He parents and two younger sisters, Ina Mae and Shirley Ann, survive."

Sunday's Obituary - Harvey Dart

Clipping from about 1954

Harvey Dart is my husband's 1st cousin twice removed.  According to our family tree (and census records) he was born around 1917 to John Baptiste and Louisa Dart (no maiden name known for Louisa yet).  I had no marriage information or death information on him until now.  There is no information on the newspaper clipping, but it should be from the local Green Bay newspaper (the Green Bay Press Gazette), and that would put the year of his death somewhere around 1954.

I'm so thankful that my mother-in-law passed on two scrapbooks filled with newspaper clippings that she received from her mother-in-law.  So often I find that when I transcribe an article for my blog from these scrapbooks, I find out new information for my tree.  So many clippings.  Eventually they'll all get scanned, transcribed and posted.  Right now, I'm just delighted to have found out some new information, albeit sad information.  Harvey was younger than I am.  It's very sad to see anyone go at so young an age.

I'll have to track down his tombstone when I go back to Wisconsin for Christmas.

"Pneumonia Is Fatal To Harvey Dart, 37

Harvey Dart, 37, 935 Day street, died this morning in a local hospital after a two-day illness with pneumonia.  He was born in Tonet and 17 years ago married the former Lorraine Laurent of Green Bay.  the Darts moved to Green Bay six years ago.

At the time of his death the deceased was employed by the Badger Bay company.  During the war he was employed in the shipyards at Sturgeon Bay.

Survivors include his wife; three children, Mary Jane, Beatrice and John, all at home; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John B. Dart, Tonet; and three brothers, Frank, Green Bay, George, Tonet, and Richard, Algoma.

The body is at the Dupont-Malcore Funeral home, where the rosary will be said at 8 o'clock each evening. The Rev. Peter Skell will say the rosary at 8 o'clock Friday evening.

Funeral services will be held at 9 o'clock Saturday morning in SS. Peter and Paul church.  Father Skell will offer the requiem mass and burial will be in Allouez cemetery."

Remembering Veterans & Veterans Within My Family

(A follow up post from last year with the addition of a new-found cousin who serves our country.  Thank you for your service, JoAnn!)

I want to take a moment to say thank you to everyone who has served honorably in our Armed Forces. Without our service members past and present our country would not be where it is today. We would not have gained our independence, we would not have unified a divided country, we would not have stopped the atrocities of 2 World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. There are many conflicts not mentioned which do not make light of the sacrifices that servicemen and women made in them. Sometimes the sacrifice was in time away from family and long hours. At times it was witnessing the horrors of those wars or even succumbing valiantly to them.

Not everyone serves their country as a Veteran does and not everyone can or should. You are unique, respected and given a burden that many would not be able to bear. Whether you served many months or many years in our Armed Forces makes no difference. You served. Thank you!

I'd like to now pay tribute to my family members who have served (I hope I didn't miss any!).

The Royal Charter and my Family

Picture shared in family history by Josh Buch

As I wrote in my first blog post (and first post on this series), my 3rd great grandfather, Manus Maurice Boyle, died in the Royal Charter shipwreck.  Now a good question is, how did I ever find it out to begin with?

When I was a genealogical newbie and was posting on message boards, I was lucky enough to link up with a distant cousin, William Turnbach, Jr.  While I’ve been truly fortunate to correspond with many distant cousins since, Bill was the first to introduce me to “The Letter.”

What is “The Letter”?  Well, it clarifies what exactly happened to Manus.  It explains why I’m not searching Pennsylvania mining records and obituaries trying to find out why he disappeared.  It explains why I’m not cursing his name while making the assumption that he abandoned his wife and children.

In 1917 Alice Boyle McGinnis nee Monaghan wrote a letter about a house that Manus built for them to live in.  That letter gives so much wonderful genealogical information, to include that Manus was a passenger on the Royal Charter and drowned.

I encountered family history gold within my first year of genealogy research.  Bill shared so much with me, and I shared my little branch of our family tree with him (he was much more advanced in his research than I was at that point).  

Photocopy of picture shared by Josh Buch - The house that Manus built

Since that time I have come in contact with numerous cousins that shared the same letter with me.  I’ve often wished that I had a copy of the original.  I’ve wished that I knew why Alice wrote the statement to begin with.  Always wishing, but the original seemed elusive.

So during my series of Royal Charter blog posts I’ve gone back to look over some information that I had collected over the years and see what I’ve over-looked (I do that...more often than I’d like to admit).  I have a wonderful 1+ inch thick genealogy that was sent to me by Josh Buch back in 2006-2007.  Josh is the husband of a distant cousin and the genealogist of their family.  We met online, exchanged emails, and even spoke on the phone and then he graciously mailed me a hardcopy of the entire genealogy he did for his wife.  Complete with photocopied pictures of the house that Manus built.  I revisited those and as I began paging through the genealogy I saw the letter.  The transcription that everyone always passes around...and the handwritten letter that it was transcribed from.  Yes, this was one of those moments that I felt like a complete dork.  I had been looking for something that had been in my possession for 5 years.  It’s so time to get better organized!

So I’m delighted to be able to add on to the Royal Charter family story by including a digital copy with the transcription.  I was also excited to see in the family history that Josh wrote, that Manus did find some gold during his years in Australia and had sent some money home (great job, grandpa!).  I’m sure he had gotten this information during his many interviews with family members that had known/remembered Alice.  

Photo of the house that Manus built from Josh Buch

I can’t really explain why, but knowing that Manus had found gold made me feel better.  It’s not a greed thing and it doesn’t change the fact that he died, but it did mean that he didn’t fail in his mission.  He and his family sacrificed so he could go and try for a better life for them.  So many people that went to Australia failed.  He didn’t.  He had succeeded in his goal and then fate dealt him a bad hand.

Grandma Alice went on to marry again (John McGinnis), but had no additional children to my knowledge.  John died early as well (a coal mining accident) and Alice never again married.  Perhaps after having had two husbands cruelly taken from her she decided enough was enough.  

I’m delighted to be able to share this genealogical gold nugget (and it truly is...just look at all the information in there!) and hope that it will be useful to any other descendents of Manus that may be out there that haven’t found the rest of us yet.  Thank goodness for those distant cousins and their incredible generosity and helpfulness!

Page 1

"Statement of Mrs. Alice McGinnis regarding dwelling house built by Manus Boyle in the autumn season of 1854, at which time the above mentioned Manus Boyle was the husband of the above mentioned Mrs Alice McGinnis.

My maiden name was Alice Monaghan.  I came from Ireland to America with my mother Mrs. Ann Monaghan, my brothers John and Eugene, and sister Elizabeth.  We arrived in Jeanesville, January 1, 1853.  I was married to Manus Boyle, a coal miner, in November 1853, and lived with my husband Manus Boyle in Leviston, Carbon County, Pennsylvania.  My husband worked for Rockliffe and Johnson who owned the coal mines at Leviston, Carbon County, Pennsylvania, at that time.  The superintendent was Jenkin Reynolds.  My husband [obtained permission from Rockliffe and Johnson to build a]

Page 2

...dwelling house and was told he could build a dwelling house on their land at any location he wished.  At the time it was customary to get permission from the land owners and build dwelling houses as the houses were very few.  My husband bought the lumber and in the autumn season of 1854 built a dwelling house in Leviston, Carbon County, Pennsylvania.  It consisted [sic] of three rooms on the first floor and one large room on the [sic] second floor which was called 'up stairs'.  The place was covered with trees and bushes and my husband cleared off trees and bushes to build the foundation and also the garden adjoining the dwelling house.  When the dwelling house was built we then moved into it.

On March 4, 1855 my daughter Mary Boyle, who is now Mrs Mary Fay, was born in this dwelling house, and [on December 24, 1856, my daughter...]

Page 3

...Annie Boyle, who is now Mrs Martin Blanchfield, was born in this dwelling house.

My husband Manus Boyle went to Australia in September 1856 and in the autumn season of 1859 when my husband was returning from Australia in the sailing vessel Royal Charter, the vessel was wrecked near the coast of Wales and my husband, Manus Boyle was drowned.

When my husband Manus Boyle went to Australia in 1856 my brother-in-law Richard Dougherty with his wife Rose and daughter Cathryne moved into this dwelling house and lived with me for company after my husband Manus Boyle was drowned, I lived here until the spring of the following year 1860 and then I went to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and lived there, working for various families.  When I went away my brother John Monaghan took care of my youngest daughter Annie [and my brother-in-law took...]

Page 4

....care of my daughter Mary.

In the year of 1866 I married John McGinnis in Hazleton, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.  We lived in Jeanesville, PA, New York City, NY, and then in Leviston, PA.  In 1889 my husband John McGinnis and I returned to this dwelling house in Leviston, Carbon County, Pennsylvania which was built by my first husband Manus Boyle in the year 1854.  During the time I was away from this dwelling house 1860 to 1889 my brother-in-law Richard Dougherty and family occupied it and in the meantime built an addition to it.  Richard Dougherty died about the year 1882 and his family continued to live in this dwelling house until 1889 when they vacated the rooms of the house which my first husband Manus Boyle built and moved into the addition which they had previously built [adjoining the rooms of my house.]

Page 5

.......The statement given on the four pages attached is correct to the best of my knowledge and also to the best of my brothers knowledge, John Monaghan, and we have this date signed our names as shown below.

John Monaghan

Mrs Alice Mcginnis

Leviston P.O., 

Carbon County, Pennsylvania

Thursday, July 12, 1917

Page 6

I have this date heard the statement of Mrs Alice McGinnis regarding the dwelling house in Leviston, Caron County, Pennsylvania, built by Manus Boyle in 1854 and have witnessed the signatures of John Monaghan and Mrs Alice McGinnis as to correctness of the statement.

Mrs Mary Fay

Loretta Fay

George Fay

Leviston, Caron County, Pennsylvania Thursday, July 12, 1917"

NOTE:  Unfortunately the bottom of each page didn't copy, so I put the transcription from a copy of "The Letter" that was also in the family history (and had been passed around for years!) of the pieces that were missing in parentheses.