Help the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund win $50,000

I never win contests, but I'm not against taking 2 minutes of my time to help someone else win and $50,000 can go a long way with the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Fund's drive to put a face with every name on the Virtual Vietnam Wall.

If that's all you do for the VVMF (and I hope it isn't all you consider doing...BUT) then head on over to The Pepsi Refresh Project link here and vote for them to win!  You can vote up to 5 times and the page does ask you to sign in through Facebook or by creating an account, but you can always do what I usually do and block the app on FB after using it.

If the VVMF get the most votes, they get the money.  Is that not worth the time?

If you'd like to know more about the VVMF's campaign to put a face with every name, check out my earlier post.  Such a worthy cause for any genealogist..for anyone in general.

Follow Friday - Some Highlights From the Week

Just a few posts that I had wanted to share which I found extremely interesting or useful!

Dick Eastman posted about a security issue at Dropbox that occurred this week.  We're certainly used to hearing about those lapses in security and luckily Dropbox fixed the problem after a few hours.  I love my Dropbox and will certainly keep using it.  I have little doubt that anyone was waiting for the opportunity to steal Cub Scout photos, PTA data and a portion of my family tree!  It wasn't a hack-job, but an upgrade error that was corrected.  Dick's got so much more information and insight on this than I summed up here, so if you haven't read the article head on over!

Relative Roots is offering a series of Webinars on Genetic Genealogy.  Viewing this post was rather timely since I'm considering asking my uncle if he would do a DNA test since he is the last male Brown in my line.  I'm completely inexperienced in DNA for genealogy (shameful, I know!) and I figured that I'd better get my learnin' on!  If you've missed the date for a Webinar that you're interested in, they are available for viewing for 7 days after the live event.  Just head on over and register (you have to register for the recorded Webinars as well.).  Some of the Webinars are free and some cost a small fee.  If you've still got questions about DNA it might be the thing to check out!

Kathy Reed over at the Family Matters blog had a very interesting post about Understanding Relative Disease Risk Using 23andme.  As I just mentioned these DNA posts have really got me charged up.  I didn't realize that they could also tell you your risk factors for certain genetic diseases.  It certainly doesn't mean that you'll get one, but hey, it's good to be armed with all the information possible especially if you end up in a doctor's office one day wondering what's going on?  And as Kathy said in her post, "I could not have been tested for this mutation for $99 alone much less received all of the additional information supplied to me."  How very true!

The Ancestry Insider had an interesting post about just How Reliable is the SSDI?  Don't worry though.  Insider isn't saying it's completely inaccurate, just to be cautious when using it an verify the results.  Kind of like with everything we do.  Just because it's in the SSDI doesn't mean it should be taken as gospel and verse.  Very good read though.  I did not know that many young people aren't listed in the index because they "die before receiving benefits".  Very good intel!

Tons more great stuff out there, but this week I was playing catch up with over 500 posts in my feed.  I need to get better at reading them!  Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!

Wordless Wednesday - A 4 Generation Photo

Four Generations of Women

I wish the photo was a bit clearer, but I'm just delighted to have it.  Only minor changes made to sharpen and get rid of flaws (unedited photo is on the bottom).

Sitting on the bench on the left - Bertha Boegel nee Rosbeck (my husband's great grandmother)

Child standing on the bench - Lorraine Ryan nee Kuehl (my husband's aunt)

Sitting on the bench on the right - Margaretha Rosbeck nee Thelen (my husband's great-great grandmother)

Standing - Leona Kuehl nee Boegel (my husband's grandmother)

Before photo corrections

Tuesday's Tip - Inputting Data on the 1820 Census

1820 U.S. Federal Census

Last week I talked about the 1810 census and how similar it was to the 1800 census.  This week we'll take a look at the 1820 census...and what a census!  We started getting our act together here!  More data than in the last three and by the looks of it a fair bit more organized!  Still not as much data here as we genealogists enjoy in the later censuses, but we can now see at least the type of work the people were engaged in and the number of people of foreign birth that were not naturalized.  It still only gives the names of the heads of household, but you can at least tell a bit more about citizenship/birth and that may lead you to documents!

The census form each person spreads over 2 pages, so make sure you check out both sides or you'll be wondering where the rest of the information is!

The people at the U.S. Census Bureau have not only posted on their site a copy of the legislation enacting the 4th U.S. Census, a.k.a. the 1820 census, but the statistics from that census, the oaths sworn by the census takers and their version of the census form!

The 4th U.S. Census was conducted under the direction of the Secretary of State.  The legislation was enacted in March of 1820 and the census began in August 1820, concluding in September 1821.

The people at www.1930census.com have once again provided a map to what our country looked like at the time the census was taken.  Sadly, their timeline/historic data for this decade is down,  for the count.  Hopefully we'll see some great historical context in there soon!

I've got to say that creating these inputtable forms is really helping me understand that you can get more out of the older censuses than we may realize.  Next week I'll have the 1830 census ready to post and then the week after the 1840 census (and the first one that I really have any family in America to use!).  

As for the inputtable form, the same applies as before:

1)  The Google document claims to be more than one page, but rest assured that once you download the form it will be one page only

2)  The form is locked so you don't have to worry about typing in the wrong fields and erasing the census questions.  You can only make changes to the blank fields.

3)  If there is any trouble downloading the form please let me know and I'll see what can be done to fix it.

Remember to get to the Google Form just click on the image at the top of the blog post or the 1820 link in the first paragraph.

Until next week I hope you enjoy the forms and enjoy tending those roots!

Military Monday - Vietnam Virtual Wall Searching for Pictures

I was contacted via a comment on a blog post on my cousin, Michael Paul Brown who was Killed In Action during the Vietnam War.  Lisa Lark, a volunteer with the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) asked if I would be willing to let them use Michael's picture on a Virtual Wall that the VVMF has.  I was not familiar with the VVMF nor the Virtual Vietnam Wall, but I certainly am all about having Michael remembered and I granted permission and then did some research because this not only sounds like a worthy project, but a project that I think most genealogists would want to jump on board with.

So I did a search on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund's "Call for Photos" and came to a page on the VVMF website that explains their goal.  We all are familiar with the black granite memorial on the mall in Washington D.C. where every Vietnam service member that died is listed.  A beautiful and moving tribute. The VVMF has a goal of putting a picture with every name that is listed on a Virtual Wall and why not?  Chances are there is a picture somewhere of each and every service member.  Photography was in full swing by the 60s and 70s.

You can search the Virtual Wall by clicking here.  You can also use the search tool to search a specific region/city for those listed on the wall.  For instance, I pulled all the names of the service members that died from Killeen, TX where I'm currently living.  In the next few weeks I hope to be able to find their obituaries in the local newspapers and pictures in local yearbooks so I can add them to the Virtual Wall.  If I have time while on vacation back home in Pennsylvania, I may grab the pictures and obituaries from my hometown and add them.

Yearbook pictures certainly suffice, but how much better would it be to have family members and friends scan and submit higher resolution photos to use.  Only the best for our brave men and women who gave their all!

What I noticed on the website is that the VVMF calls on state and local veterans groups to get the word out about this wonderful project.  It is certainly fitting for veterans groups to help, but who better to have in your camp than genealogists!  We live to preserve family history and love our military ancestors!  Who better to bring this cause to our genealogical societies and ask that they too pass this message on?

Digital Rubbing created from the Virtual Wall

There are over 58,000 names on The Wall.  I know that we can get pictures to go with those names!  If you think this is a worthy cause and would like to help out, you can go to their website and fill out the volunteer form.  There are several areas that they need help in from big things like organizing a fundraising event, to much smaller things such as spreading the word.  It's a really easy form to fill out and they get back to you pretty quickly.  They even have a Facebook page that you can like and share!

There are so many ways to help out with this project!  Get the word out!  You can tweet this post or do a post of your own!  You can talk to the VVMF about how to help or you can give a presentation to your local society and recruit  more volunteers!  You can get out there and do some leg-work and get the photos on your own and upload them to the website or email them to Lisa Lark at dearbornsvietnam@gmail.com, Martin T. Kobylarczyk at mkobylarczyk@vvmf.org or the VVMF at vvmf@vvmf.org!

You can check out these .pdfs for additional information provided by Martin Kobylarczyk, the VVMF's Outreach Coordinator Project Manager, National Call for Photos:

Education Center - Call for Photos

Discover Their Stories

Let every one of them be remembered forever.  Help to put a face with the names!

Sunday's Obituary - George Herman

West Bend News, 01AUG1963

"George A. Herman

Funeral services for George A. Herman, sr., a resident of the town of Wayne for the past 42 years, are being conducted at St. Lucas Lutheran church, Kewaskum, at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) with the Rev. Donald Bitter officiating.  Burial will be in Theresa Union cemetery at Theresa.  Friends called at the Miller funeral home, Kewaskum, from 2 p.m. Wednesday, to 10:30 today and at the church from noon to the times of the services.

Mr. Herman passed away very unexpectedly at his home early Monday, July 29.  Death was attributed to a heart attack.

He was born in the town of Theresa on Sept. 21, 1888 and married the former Alwina [sic] Hahn in that township on Jan. 5, 1911.  She passed away on Feb. 18, 1951.  Mr. and Mrs. Herman were the parents of four children, on of whom Vanelda (Mrs. Alex Krell), died in 1958.  Surviving are Louise (Mrs. Ervin Butzlaff), George, Jr. and Lyle, all residing at rural route, Kewaskum.

He also leaves 11 grandchildren, two great grandchildren, a daughter-in-law, two sons-in-law and a sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Zimdahl of Allenton.

Mr. Herman was president of the Theresa Mutual Insurance Co.  He was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Valentine Herman."

George Herman (also spelled "Hermann") is my husband's 2nd great uncle.  George's wife's name on her tombstone in spelled "Alvina". Still need to verify which is correct.

Follow Friday - Emmasology

Heather Rojo from Nutfield Genealogy met an aspiring 11-year old genealogist at the Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree!  It's wonderful to see kids getting interested in genealogy and attending conferences!  Jennifer Woods' daughter, Ellie, was an attendee at the NGS conference in May.  Maybe one day my kids will be interested in attending a conference (so long as it doesn't interfere with school!).

Anyway, not only is young Emma interested in genealogy and attended a conference, she has her own blog!  So head on over to Emma's blog Emmasology.  How wonderful to watch a developing genealogist!