To Jim, With Love

After two+ days of labor and delirium, Mary gave birth to her first born child (no, this isn’t THAT story!). The baby boy weighed over 10 lbs and came into the world on January 2, 1940.  His mother was just a mere eighteen – still a child herself. He was the first grandchild for his maternal grandparents who doted on him and cared for him when his mother was working.  In fact, he met his great-grandmother in Oregon before his mother had met the woman!

When he was five and a half, he found himself an older brother to his newborn baby sister.  The family lived in a state far away from the grandparents he loved dearly. He made friends with the neighboring family’s children.  As a young teen, he found himself – along with his mother and sister – on a ship headed to Japan to join the family patriarch who had been stationed there with the United States Army Air Corps (the forerunner to the U.S. Air Force). He made friends, participated in the Boy Scouts, learned to be a photographer, and tried to be a dutiful son and big brother.  Since they were so far from family – grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins – they sent many letters back to the States.  After a few years, they went back to their home state of Ohio, but then once again found themselves back in Japan again. He graduated from the American High School and joined the Air Force. Unfortunately, due to his eyesight and other physical issues, he was discharged before too long.

In February 1961, he married a woman that he met at work.  Soon after they were married, he heard that he was going to be a big brother again!  He and his wife took the new little sister under their wing, and she spent many weekends with them. As his baby sister grew, he found himself in a role that he never expected – being torn between being her big brother and confidante and a father-figure when their father moved away. At the same time, he was enjoying new fatherhood for he and his wife had just adopted their own little boy.

He had found his niche working for a printing company in Dayton and assumed he would be there until retirement. He and his wife had finally found a home they were fixing up and happy with that wasn’t that far away from both of their mom’s. He was an officer with the local Fraternal Order of Eagles and enjoyed the friendships and community service he found within the organization.

There were a series of losses – his beloved maternal grandmother and then grandfather and close friends.  After his son graduated high school, hardship struck when the printing company closed the doors. Dayton was experiencing a major downturn in the jobs market and he had a very hard time finding a job right away so he went to work for a cousin. He and his family moved to another home and proceeded.  Every so often he would find he and his mom on the outs – he avoided confrontation like the plague, and she sought it out.

He found a new love in a far off state.  For a short time, he was remarkably happy. Then his health began to deterioriate. The worst part was that no one could tell him exactly why or what to do about it. By the time the doctors had discovered the pancreatic cancer, it was much too late. He only had a short time left. Too short of time for he and his mother to reconcile – although she tried to tell him while he was comatose. His two sisters were also grief-stricken but tried to remain strong for their mother – who should not have had to see her son succumb to his illness.  Far too soon and far too young, he passed away on the last day of August before the world fell apart and terrorists held the world hostage in horror.

He was survived by his wife, his mother, his father and step-mother, his three sisters and their husbands, his son, many nieces, nephews, cousins, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and friends.

Today, he should be turning 73, and I should be able to call him on the phone and say, “Happy Birthday, Jim! I love you!”

 (Photos: Mary and Jim, 1940; Jim and Sandy Kelso - 1945, photographer: Gene Amore; Jim at Christmas in Japan, photographer: Jim Amore; Gene and Jim Amore, Thanksgiving 1998 in Arkansas, photographer: Wendy Littrell.  All photos – originals and digital images held in possession of Wendy Littrell, Address for Private Use)

Hello 2013!

I hope everyone had an enjoyable and safe New Years Eve!  Today, as we begin a brand New Year filled with hopes, dreams, goals, resolutions, and opportunities, let us all remember to treat others with compassion and common courtesy. No one wears a sign that gives their life story so harboring judgmental attitudes isn’t fair to anyone. We are all human and therefore, have shortcomings, failings, and dreams.

I rarely ever set New Years resolutions but I do strive each day to be a better person than I was the day before. Last year I didn’t even set genealogy goals for the year. This year, I do have some goals that I would like to set – if for no reason than to make sure I have a checklist that I can go back to if I soon find myself wandering off in another direction.

• Participate in the 6th Annual Ohio Genealogical Society Writing Competition
• Index/Arbitrate at least 100 records per month on FamilySearch
• Write at least one blog post a week
• Comment on blog posts that I read – even if it is only to say “Thanks for posting this!” – I believe feedback is very important
• Compile all the information I’ve been emailed by distant cousins concerning family history in one location
• Save my family database to Dropbox and do a back up once a week
• Ditto for pictures and other files on my computer
• Scan the rest of the slides I have using my new slide/35mm scanner that my daughter and her fiance gave me for Christmas!

That doesn’t seem like too much for the year but I don’t want to set any goals that I don’t think I can meet.

What are your genealogy goals for 2013?

Photo courtesy of: David Reber from Kansas City, USA (Hammer365: 070/295 Pen and Print  Uploaded by Fæ) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

(No copyright infringement intended.)

Goodbye 2012!

 

 

Today, people everywhere will say goodbye to 2012. For some the year was very bad, for others 2012 was a very good year, and for most of us – the year held a mixture of both good and bad, happy and sad. News highlights of the year included terrorist bombings in several parts of the world, the deaths of celebrities, a very heated and politically charged U.S. Presidential election, the tragedy of the Connecticut school shooting, the continuing war in Afghanistan and the beginning of the U.S. pull-out of Iraq, and whether or not the Mayans had predicted the end of the world (as of today – they had not!).

The past year has also been one for the genealogical record books. Everyone was on the edge of their seats with anticipation over the release of the 1940 U.S. Census in April which brought forth indexers by the hundreds (thousands?) who made such huge in-roads indexing the census that finding family and those from the “Greatest Generation” became easier faster.  More genealogy blogs were published, Ancestry’s commercials were everywhere, family historians were up in arms when it was announced that “Who Do You Think You Are” was not going to be given a 4th season, more and more attended RootsTech 2012 and other conventions/classes/society meetings.  Yet the year also ended on a bittersweet note for some as they realized years and years of their hard work had just been “lifted” without regard to copyright not to mention common courtesy and ethics.

The year 2012 for me had its ups and downs with regard to genealogy. I signed up to be a volunteer indexer for the 1940 U.S. Census, among other databases, and mid-way into that, I was also approved as an arbitrator. I found almost all of my dad’s family members and my mom’s family. I was able to spend a little more time writing articles for this blog, and consequently read several blogs quite frequently. Unfortunately the beginning of November (election day to be specific), my hard drive decided to quit. Even though I had backed everything up, I hadn’t done it as recently as I should – so I lost several things. I can recreate what I have lost – it’s just a matter of spending the time to do it.  Moral of the story: back up once a month, once a week, or even once a day. Better yet – keep current files and photos in the cloud so they can be accessed at any time from any computer.

Happy New Year and Happy Hunting in 2013!

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas

As Thansgiving 2012 ends and the Advent season is a week away, I thought I’d reflect on what transpires in between. First up is Black Friday. While many get excited when this arrives – even plan routes, stores, and means of “attack” – I have only braved the early (early!) crowds once. Yes, that means one, uno, singular.

Yesterday, I shopped but not at some inhumane time! I did some online shopping very late on Thanksgiving and went to three “bargain” stores mid-afternoon Friday.

Second, the annual Christmas movie watching. Our family began by watching “Miracle on 34th Street” and “White Christmas” on Thanksgiving. Friday we watched “Polar Express.” There will be more viewing opportunities to come as we settle in to watch “Prancer,” the Santa Clause movies with Tim Allen & especially “It’s a Wonderful Life!” Is the original “Die Hard” considered a Christmas movie!?

My birthday always falls after Thanksgiving – so that means a pizza dinner.

This year the annual Ohio State vs. Michigan football game falls after Thanksgiving. My family has a long history with the Buckeyes and being from Ohio, I will be cheering for the boys in red.

Next Sunday – December 2 – will be the first Sunday of Advent. Our church Christmas Tree will be decorated and traditional Advent hymns will be sung. Sometime in the next couple of weeks, our home Christmas tree will be set up. When my children were little, they all decorated it while we took pictures. As they’ve grown up, the decorating has fallen to grandkids and which ever kids are here. It always is magical to watch the ornaments being selected and locating just the right spot for it amongst the branches of our artificial tree. Then it’s my job to pick out the garland. We’ve had tinsel, strand garland of gold or silver, pearl strands wound around the tree, and ribbon. Normally, an angel rests on top of the tree or a star. The year I used a giant red velvet bow was not looked upon fondly so I won’t do that again! By Christmas Eve the tree is ready for Santa’s visit.

As I reflect upon our family’s activities and traditions, I wonder what my grandparents and great-grandparents experiences were. I’m pretty sure at the heart of the holidays was family – just as it is for mine.

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!

Surname Saturday – Adams

ADAMS

1. Jeremy ADAMS was my 9th great-grandfather on my paternal side. He was born about 1604 in England. Henry Whitmore’s book, The History of the Adams Family, published by the Higgenson Book Company in 1893, gives a good deal of information about this man.  It reports that Adams arrived in America with Thomas Hooker and lived in Braintree, Cambridge and finally Hartford, Connecticut. His first wife, Rebecca Baseden, had previously been married to Samuel Greenhill.  The widow and Adams married in Hartford, Connecticut. When she died in 1678, and he married Rebecca Fletcher, widow of Andrew Warner, Jr. John ADAMS, son of Adams and the first Rebecca, became my 8th great-grandfather.  Jeremy ADAMS died on August 11, 1683 in Hartford and is buried in the Ancient Burying Ground in Hartford. His name is listed on the “Founders” Monument. Further information concerning this man and his family can be found in the book Genealogies of Connecticut Families: From the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 1 by Judith McGhan, published by the Genealogical Publishing Co., 1983, page 5.

2. John ADAMS, born 1637 in Wethersfield, Hartford, Connecticut married Abigail Smith on August 24, 1657 in Connecticut.  She was born 1638 and died in New York after 1683. John and Abigail Adams are not to be confused with our second President and First Lady (they were born almost one hundred years apart). The couple had eight children: Rebecca (who I am descended from), Abigail, Sarah, Jeremiah, John, Jonathan, Thomas and Lydia. John Adams died on September 6, 1670 in Hartford.

3. Rebecca ADAMS,  my 7th great-grandmother, was born in August 1658 in Hartford and died before May 1726. She married Richard Risley in 1676 in Hartford. He was born August 2, 1645 and died in 1730 in Hartford. Eleven children were born to this union. Their son, Samuel, is my ancestor.

From Samuel to myself: Samuel Risley m. Rebecca Gaines; their son, Thomas Risley m. Elizabeth Burnham; their daughter, Rebecca Risley, m. Lazarus House; their son, Allen House, m. Editha Bigelow; their son, Florus Allen House, m. Julia Ann Lewis; their son, James Emory House, m. Frances Virginia Ogan; their daughter, Ella Maria House, m. Lloyd William Amore.  My dad is Ella and Lloyd’s son!

Ghosts, Goblins, and Baby Movie Star!

In honor of Halloween, I thought I’d take you on a photo tour through many years of “dressing up” for the holiday.  Disclaimer: some of the following photos of me were not taken at Halloween – they were taken at times I just felt called to dress up (my children may either get a kick out of these or be horribly embarrassed)!

I was three – not quite four – when I was a “Chipmunk” for Halloween. I can remember that Mom and Dad drove me over to my grandparents’ house to Trick or Treat. They “hid” while I went up to the door. Somehow I still think that my Nana and Grandad knew who I was!

This is one of those times that I just created my own “look” and it wasn’t Halloween!  I call this being a “movie star” because of the hat and sunglasses!  I am not sure why I was pretending it was very sunny, yet still had a rain umbrella!!

Scary witch, anyone? I can’t believe I had on a “dress” type costume because it was usually pretty chilly at the end of October in Ohio.  There were many times that Mom and I argued over whether I should wear a coat to trick or treat – I did not like that my costume would be covered up!

I am “Little Red Riding Hood”!  This was taken just before I turned six. School age kids would not only “beg” for treats but they would carry UNICEF boxes to collect money.  I did the same thing when I was in elementary school. The money was taken back to school after “beggar’s night”.  Do you remember doing that?

 

This was my attempt at dressing up as an “Old Lady” for Halloween – complete with my mom’s wig, an old ’50s style skirt, and a stick I made into a cane!  What strikes me as insanely amusing is that I sure didn’t look “old” (I was almost ten) – in fact now I am the age I was trying to “look” back then and I don’t think I’m even pulling it off now!

Somewhere I have another photo that shows me with my hair all tied up in a scarf, rock star make up on my face (in the style of KISS), with a pair of purple tights under shorts!  And that wasn’t for Halloween – that was just me being me – at about fifteen!

Even as an adult, the thrill of wearing a costume for Halloween has not left me.  I’ve dressed up as a witch, a fortune-teller, a pregnant gypsy (I was pregnant with my youngest child at the time!), a hippie, and a “madam”.

As the years have gone by, I’ve watched my four children get excited at Halloween and talk about what costume they will be wearing for weeks before “Trick or Treat” night.

    

Now I get to see the three grandsons all dressed up!  (Picture on far right was taken by my daughter: Teresa Sumner)

Image of Jack-o-lantern Pumpkins by Petr Kratochvil

(Not so) Wordless Wednesday – Grandad & the Dogs!

This picture is of my grandfather, Glen R. Johnson, with our two dachshunds (Bridget and Gretel) in his lap. this picture was taken in 1971.  Every holiday or family get-together, he would sit in this chair (or whatever chair was in this spot) and hold the dogs.  Many times they would all nap together in the chair. Whenever I remember the holidays as I was growing up, this scene comes to mind!