Hillary and The Donald are 19th Cousins? Yawn.

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are allegedly 19th cousins
Let's just say, even if true, this isn't very surprising.
The genealogists had to go back to the 1300s to find a common ancestor. (John of Gaunt, son of Edward III)

I believe I am 11th cousins, or closer, with, among others:

• Franklin Delano Roosevelt
• Ulysses Simpson Grant
• George Romney (and his son, Mitt Romney)
• John Kerry
• Anthony Perkins
• Cary Elwes
• Ann Bradford Davis
• Clint Eastwood
• Shirley Temple
• Debbie Reynolds (and her daughter, Carrie Fisher)
• Patrick Swayze
• William Holden
• Viggio Peter Mortensen, Jr.
• Ashley Judd
• Fred Rogers
• Lillian Gish
• Hart Crane
• Oliver Wendell Holmes
• Orson Scott Card
• Alfred Kinsey

I am happier about the relationship with certain individuals above than I am others.

Note: All of the above, and I, allegedly share a common ancestor, Thomas Stoughton (1557-1620)

If someone can trace their ancestry back to 17th century New England, it is very likely one can find similar relatives to the ones I listed. Maybe not the same ones, but similar ones.

There was a website that claimed Geoffrey Chaucer was my 18th Great Grandfather. They were almost definitely wrong. Lots of genealogical information on the internet is wrong. (I might be descended from William de la Pole, 1st Duke of  Suffolk, who married Chaucer's granddaughter, but the descent would be through his illegitimate offspring. However, there are other problems with the alleged descent.) I am confident I trace my ancestry back to the Stoughtons. I am not confident that all of the famous people listed above can do so. But others claim to have done the research. (Note: I am most confident about Patrick Swayze, since I have Swayze ancestors, as well. We're 7th cousins.)

Amanuensis Monday: Hospital Admission Card - 1945 - Mandell Newmark

Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.

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A couple weeks ago I had the opportunity to visit the National Personnel Records Center, and retrieved some "Auxiliary records" for a handful of of kin who served in the Army.  A fire in 1973 destroyed most of the Personnel Folders for those discharged between 1912 and 1960, but before making my visit I contacted the center, and the staff was able to inform me whether any records existed for each of the individuals. All the folders were destroyed, but there were a handful of other records that they had on location. So when I showed up, they had these records waiting for me. It felt a little like I was a celebrity on Who Do You Think You Are.

One of these records was the Hospital Admission Record for my great-uncle, Mandell Newmark, who died in the Philippines in April of 1945.

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INFORMATION FROM THE HOSPITAL ADMISSION CARDS CREATED 07/30/2015
BY THE OFFICE OF THE SURGEON GENERAL DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (1942-1945) AND (1950-1954)
INFORMATION FOR THE YEAR 1945

SERVICE NUMBER: 37603351

CATEGORY	CODE	EXPLANATION
RANK:	2	Enlisted Man (includes Aviation Cadet or Student)
AGE:	22	22
RACE:	1	White (includes Mexican)
YEARS OF SVC:	6	2-3 yr.
ARM OF SERVICE:	20	Medical Dept., General or Unspecified (incl all enlisted men)
AAF STATUS:	0	Neither assigned nor attached to AAF (includes all unassigned, and all Arm or Service known with no mention of AAF)
ADMISSION STATION:	-8	Southwest Pacific
ADMISSION DD/M/Y:	12 4 5	12 April 1945
LAST TREAT FACILITY:	4	Field Hospital
SPECIAL CLASS:	0	None
TYPE OF CASE:	4	Battle Casualty
TYPE OF ADMISSION:	0	New, not EPTS (did not Exist Prior To entry on active military Service)
FIRST DIAGNOSIS:	0260	Fracture, compound, comminuted with no nerve or artery involvement
LOCATION:	8432	Femur, Shaft
OPERATION:	302	Fracture, compound, closed, treatment of, w/splints/casts; or Fracture w/bone fragment removal and cast.
SECOND DIAGNOSIS		Not Found
LOCATION:		Not Found
OPERATION:		Not Found
THIRD DIAGNOSIS:		Not Found
CAUSATIVE AGENT:	233	Bullet, Rifle
CIRCUMSTANCES:	5	Injured handling firearms, ammunition, etc, on post or in camp (cleaning gun, on range, etc. by patient or others.)
FINAL RESULT:		Not Found
NON-EFFECTIVE DAYS
Total Days	003	003
Overseas Days:	003	003
TYPE OF DISPOSITION	0
FIELD OF CAUSE OF DEATH OR DISCHARGE	1	First Diagnosis Field
DISPOSITION MO/YR:	4 5	April 1945
HOSP DAYS (GH/CH)		Not Found
SPEC TREAT:		Not Found
G/C HOSPITAL:		No entry made
SAMPLE SIZE:	3	Not Found

Source: This information was obtained from the Hospital Admission Card data files (1942-1945; 1950-1954), created by the Office of the Surgeon General, Department of the Army. During 1988, this secondary source material was made available to the National Personnel Records Center by the National Research Council, a current custodian of the data file. The file was originally compiled for statistical purposes, therefore, name identification does not exist and sampling techniques were used with the result that not all hospital admissions are included. Veterans on the file are identified by service number and other data related to hospital admission.

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Notes:

1) The first thing to note is that this isn't an original record. It is a printout derived from the Hospital Admission Cards, and was created in July of this year (by the Personnel Records Center in preparation for my visit.) I don't have an image of the Hospital Admission Card, but I am confident the only information on it is the codes. The accuracy of the explanations is dependent upon the use of the correct decoding system.

We can assume that the National Archives would use the correct decoding system, correct? No. They've made mistakes in the past. Ten years ago, the National Archives discovered they had been using the wrong code book for the Civilian Occupation Codes. This meant the occupation on all the Army Enlistment records was incorrect. NARA updated their records in 2005. Ancestry updated their records sometime between 2007 (when I first looked up the records for several kin) and 2011 (when I noticed the change, and wrote about it).

The description of the circumstances of injury matches what the family was told. Mandell was shot by a fellow soldier who was cleaning his rifle.

2) The record indicates he was shot on April 12, and remained alive for three days. His obituary also stated that he died three days after his wounds.

Amanuensis Monday: The Obituary I Was Sure Wouldn't Contain Any Surprises

Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.

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Obituaries are a wonderful resource, but when one's library research time is restricted one focuses on documents where one expects to find new information. That new information can sometimes lurk in unexpected places.

I had some time to visit the library last week, and I looked up several obituaries that had been on my to do list for quite awhile. One was the obituary for my second great grandmother, Minnie Mojsabovski Cruvant. [Like many of the surnames in my database, the exact spelling of her maiden name is a bit uncertain.]

I have a cousin who has researched the Cruvant lines for several decades, and I have a rather extensive database covering the Cruvant/Kruvant/Cruvand/Kruvand descendants and cousins of my second great grandparents. But being completist, I knew I should look up her obituary, even though I knew there wouldn't be any surprises.

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St. Louis Post Dispatch - Feb 14, 1924, p.30

CRUVANT - On Wednesday, Feb 13, 1924, Minnie Cruvant, widow of Morris Cruvant, fond mother of Mrs. Bertha Newmark, Mrs. Stella Stern, Mrs. Flora Altman, Benjamin, David and Sol Cruvant. Dear sister of Mrs. Blanche Rubin, and our dear grandmother. 

Funeral from Berger Chapel, 4715 Mcpherson avenue on Friday Feb 15 at 10 a.m.

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Reading the obituary, I was stunned. Minnie had a sister?

Siblings of immigrant ancestors  have been the source of several surprises during my years of research. When one can trace their lines back several generations on American soil, the US Census will usually record most siblings. There is the 20 year gap between 1880 and 1900, due to the destruction of the 1890 census, but otherwise it is difficult for someone to be born, grow up, and leave the household in the usual 10-year census gaps.

However, since I don't have access to pre-immigration records, siblings or adult children of immigrants can escape notice.

When an obituary doesn't indicate where a relative lives, that often means they live in town. So I looked up Blanche Rubin in the Online Missouri Death Certificates. Her death certificate lists her parents as Mendel Majabovsky and Sarah Greenberg. Minnie's parents are thought to be Mendel and Sarah Goldstein. It's possibly the same mother, with at least one improperly recorded maiden name. However, the dates of birth for the two sisters are twenty years apart, Minnie being the elder, suggesting they are actually half-sisters.

In 1920, Blanche and her husband, Ben Rubin were living next door to Philip and Leah Rubin. Philip and Leah's daughter, Anna, would marry David Cruvant, the son of Morris and Minnie. Were Ben and Philip related? It seems a strong possibility. However, complete strangers live next door to one another all the time, and it is possible for them to share a surname.  Ben and Blanche's nephew marrying Philip and Leah's daughter isn't proof of anything. I've now looked up the death certificates and obituaries for Ben and Phil without confirmation one way or another.

I've managed to trace two children of Ben and Blanche who each had one child, and these two grandchildren are still living. I will likely write to them to see if they can provide further information. However, I'm glad I finally found the time to look up the obituary for my second great grandmother.

Amanuensis Monday: Obituary for Robert Lee Gober

Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.

I began this project back on February 16, 2009. Since I began, many others have joined in on the meme. I am thrilled that this meme I started has inspired so many to transcribe and share their family history documents. Why do we transcribe? I provide my three reasons in the linked post. You may find others.

This week I transcribe the obituary for my wife's great grandfather, Robert Lee Gober (1895-1971)

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ROBERT GOBER

PINE LAWN – Robert Gober, 75, died at his home last Friday. He was born in Vanduser and farmed in the Sikeston area until he moved to the St. Louis area 17 years ago.

He is survived by his wife, the former Mabel Fulkerson, and one daughter, Anna Lee Wallace, of St. Louis.

Those from Sikeston attending services in St. Louis Monday were Mr. and Mrs. Ellis Alcorn, Mr. and Mrs. C.D. Alcorn, Mr. and Mrs. Dale Alcorn, Mrs. And Mrs. Lester McDonald and one daughter Tammy.

Gober’s wife is a sister of Mrs. Ellis Alcorn.

The Daily Standard (Sikeston, Missouri) · Fri, May 7, 1971 · Page 12

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Notes

1) I transcribed his WWI registration form a few weeks ago.
2) Mrs. Ellis Alcorn was Urista Fulkerson, a sister of Mabel (Fulkerson) Gober. I believe the three children of Urista and Ellis who attended the services were Cal, Dale and Blanche.
3) In addition to the familial relationships, the obituary provides an estimate for the year the Gobers moved to St. Louis - 1954.

Amanuensis Monday: Obituary for Anna Marie (Taylor) Gober - 1947

Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.

I began this project back on February 16, 2009. Since I began, many others have joined in on the meme. I am thrilled that this meme I started has inspired so many to transcribe and share their family history documents. Why do we transcribe? I provide my three reasons in the linked post. You may find others.

***
This week I transcribe the obituary for my wife's second great grandmother, Anna Marie (Taylor) Gober.

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Mrs. Anna Marie Gober, wife of Lewis P. Gober, died at the family home in Vanduser Monday morning at 1 o’clock. She was born May 23, 1873, near Illmo, the daughter of Andrew and Drucilla Taylor.

Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday afternoon at 2 o’clock at the Methodist church in Vanduser by the Rev. Levi Bess. Burial will be in the old Morley cemetery. The body is to remain at the Welsh Funeral Chapel until time of services.

She was married to Lewis P. Gober January 6, 1891, and they were the parents of eight children, six of whom preceded their mother in death.

Mrs. Gober is survived by her husband, a prominent farmer of the community, and two children, Robert Gober of near McMullin and Albert Gober of St. Louis; four sisters, Mrs. Amanda Bess of Marquand, Mrs. Hannah Greer of Vanduser, Mrs. Matilda Crutchfield of Sikeston and Mrs. Ada Boney of Morley; seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

Sikeston Standard (Sikeston, Missouri) · Tue, Apr 29, 1947 · Page 8

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Notes


1) I have previously transcribed the obituary for Anna's husband, Lewis (or Louis) P. Gober.

2) I am appreciative that whoever wrote the obituary went against the cultural norm, and actually listed the given names of the sisters, instead of identifying them by their husband's names. Amanda Bess's husband was Noah Charles Bess. I haven't yet figured out if or how Noah was related to the Rev. Levi Bess.

Amanuensis Monday: Obituary for Verba Ella Fulkerson - 1947

Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.

I began this project back on February 16, 2009. Since I began, many others have joined in on the meme. I am thrilled that this meme I started has inspired so many to transcribe and share their family history documents. Why do we transcribe? I provide my three reasons in the linked post. You may find others.

***
This week I transcribe the obituary for my wife's second great grandmother, Verba Elle (Blackman) Fulkerson.

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Mrs. Fulkerson Dies at Daughter’s Home

Mrs. Verba Elle Fulkerson, 89, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Robert Gober, of near Morley, Wednesday morning, after a prolonged illness.

Born December 10, 1857, Mrs. Fulkerson had been a resident of Morley and vicinity for 40 years.

She is survived by five daughters, Mrs. Virgil Williams, Memphis, Tenn., Mrs. John Healy, Dexter, Mrs. Ella Huey, Mountain Grove, Mrs. Ellis Alcorn, Sikeston, and Mrs. Robert Gober, of near Morley, One son, W.O. Fulkerson, Bloomfield, 46 grandchildren and 62 great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon at 2 o’clock with Rev. Freeman Unsel officiating. Burial will be in Blodgett cemetery. Welsh service.

Sikeston Standard (Sikeston, Missouri) · Fri, Jan 31, 1947 · Page 2

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Notes


1) I've previously transcribed a news article for Verba Fulkerson's 83rd birthday. There it stated she had 62 children and grandchildren present. Her obituary states she was survived by 6 children, 46 grandchildren, and 62 great grandchildren. I'm aware of 10 children, seven with offspring, and have only identified 35 grandchildren. (It's certainly possible there are several offspring I haven't identified yet.)

2) Mrs. Virgil Williams is her daughter, Julia, Mrs. John Healy is her daughter, Bertha, Mrs. Ellis Alcorn is her daughter, Urista, and Mrs. Robert Gober is her daughter, Mabel. The daughters are listed in chronological order. W.O. Fulkerson is William Otis Fulkerson.

3) "Welsh Service" is a reference to Welsh Funeral Home, which today is Ponder Funeral Home.

Amanuensis Monday: Robert Lee Gober - World War I Registration

Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.

I began this project back on February 16, 2009. Since I began, many others have joined in on the meme. I am thrilled that this meme I started has inspired so many to transcribe and share their family history documents. Why do we transcribe? I provide my three reasons in the linked post. You may find others.

***
This week I transcribe a World War I registration card, and a newspaper clipping from 1918 concerning my wife's great grandfather, Robert Lee Gober.

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2055 REGISTRATION CARD No. 51
1) Name in Full: Robert Lee Gober Age in yrs: 21
2) Home address: Vanduser, Mo
3) Date of birth: Oct 5, 1895
4) Are you (1) a natural born citizen (2) a naturalized citizen (3) an alien (4) or have you declared your intention: Natural Born
5) Where were you born: Vanduser, Mo, USA
6) If not a citizen, of what country are you a citizen or subject?
7) What is your present trade, occupation, or office: Farming
8) By whom employed: LP Gober - Father
Where employed: Vanduser, Mo
9) Have you a father, mother, wife, child under 12, or a sister or brother under 12, solely dependent upon you for support: No
10) Married or Single: Single Race: Caucasian
11) What military service have you had: No
12) Do you claim exemption from draft: No

I affirm that I have verified above answers and that they are true.

(Signature) Robert Lee Gober

24-3-22 A / REGISTRAR'S REPORT

1) Tall, medium or short: Tall Slender, medium or stout: Stout
2) Color of eyes: Brown Color of hair: Dark Bald: No
3) Has person lost arm, leg, hand, foot, or both eyes, or is he otherwise disabled: No

I certify that my answers are true, that the person registered has read his own answers, that I have witnessed his signature, and that all of his answers of which I have knowledge are true, except as follows:

(Signature) Illegible

Precinct: Vanduser
City or County: Scott
State: Mo

June 5, 1917

Mrs. Louis Gober, of Vanduser, and her son Robert, who is home on a ten day furlough from Camp Funston, were in Sikeston Tuesday afternoon.

The Twice-A-Week Sikeston Standard, May 3, 1918

Notes

1) Camp Funston was a U.S. Army training base located in Manhattan Kansas at Fort Riley.
2) Even short social news clippings can reveal important information - such as which army base someone was located at.
3) The gravesite of Robert Lee and Mabel (Fulkerson) Gober - photograph taken July 3, 2015.

Amanuensis Monday: A Divorce Suit Filed - 1918

Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.

I began this project back on February 16, 2009. Since I began, many others have joined in on the meme. I am thrilled that this meme I started has inspired so many to transcribe and share their family history documents. Why do we transcribe? I provide my three reasons in the linked post. You may find others.

***
This week I transcribe a newspaper article from 1918 mentioning the divorce of a great uncle.

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George Meade and Frank P. Bell are named as correspondents in the divorce suit of Stanford O. Van Every against Amy Van Avery. Alice O. Hartley alleges failure to provide against Sydney R. Hartley, and cruelty is the allegation of the complaint of Sarah C. Porter against Richard Porter, whom she married in Butler county in 1899.

Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) · Tue, Dec 3, 1918 · Page 4

Notes

1) Stanford Van Every (aka Samuel Van Every), was the brother of my maternal grandmother.

2) Amy Johnston and Stanford O Van Every were married in March of 1917. In July of 1918, Amy wrote to the FBI and accused her husband of bigamy, draft evasion, and pro-German sympathies. This news clipping suggests Stanford filed the divorce suit again his wife. This news article provides a county court to contact to see if the divorce records survive. It also provides some possible associates of either my great uncle, or  his wife.

3) I am unsure if the Hartleys mentioned in the same news clipping are related to my Hartley ancestors.  It would be highly coincidental, since my Hartley ancestors resided mostly in Texas and Mississippi.

Defining a Patriot

Three years ago I wrote a post concerning all of my ancestors and where they were during the Revolution.

My ancestor David Van Every served a few months in the New York Militia, but he became a United Empire Loyalist like his father. And since there is no indication that his father's loyalties were ever in doubt, it might be fair to wonder if those few months in the New York Militia were entirely patriotic. He did have uncles and cousins serving patriotically, so it's possible, and there is some evidence he may have signed  up for the militia honestly, which I will go into in another post, but there is enough doubt I knew I would feel uncomfortable using that service to claim descent from a Patriot.

I hadn't completely given up hope of finding a truly Patriotic ancestor, but figured the only branches would be the ancestors of my maternal great great grandmother, Sarah Hartley Denyer. Born around 1836, I'd have to research back to her grandparents and great grandparents.

I was plugging in some surnames into the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) databases recently for fun, and found a different ancestor, my fifth great grandfather, Mark Fretz.

FRETZ, MARCK  Ancestor #: A042599
Service: PENNSYLVANIA Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 12- -1750 BEDMINSTER TWP BUCKS CO PENNSYLVANIA
Death: 2-24-1840 NEW BRITAIN TWP BUCKS CO PENNSYLVANIA
Service Description: 1) CAPT HENRY DARROCH, LCOL WILLIAM ROBERTS
2) 3RD BATT, BUCKS CO, MILITIA

As I wrote back in 2012, I had not found any evidence that my Mennonite Fretz ancestors had violated their dedication to pacifism. But the entry on the DAR database suggested Mar(c)k Fretz had served in the militia. So I went looking for other sources and found this (Revolutionary War Military Abstract Card File, Pennsylvania State Archives):

It appears Mark Fretz paid fines for the privilege of not actively serving in the militia. If I am reading the card correctly, and if the abstract from the original record is correct, in 1780 he paid 600 pounds, which would have been a significant amount in 1780.

Here is DAR's definition of "Acceptable Service" (SAR uses the same definition.)

• Signers of the Declaration of Independence
• Military Service...
• Civil Service...
• Patriotic Service, which includes:...
• Furnishing a substitute for military service...

So my ancestor, Mark Fretz, would be considered a Patriot under that definition. I am proud of his dedication to his religious principles, however, he didn't serve in the militia.

While I would like to find an ancestor who was an active Patriot, since the Daughters and Sons of the American Revolution organizations accept those pacifists who paid the fines as suitable ancestors, I wouldn't feel bad about using Mark Fretz for that purpose. Becoming a member of the Sons isn't on my high list of priorities right now, though I realize some kin might feel different. So the question arises: Could I, or a cousin, prove descent from Mark Fretz to the satisfaction of their guidelines?

The 'proof' cited in my database relies heavily on: A Brief History of John and Christian Fretz and a Complete Genealogical Family Register With Biographies of their Descendants from the Earliest Available Records to the Present Time – by Rev A.J. Fretz of Milton N.J. copyright 1890. Mennonite Publishing Co. Elkhart, Indiana. pp. 326-333. [read the transcribed text here]

My great-grandparents, Melvin and Margaret Jane (Denyer) Van Every appear in the genealogy, along with their first three children. I am confident I can prove up to there with vital records. However, looking at the guidelines on the lineage society websites, they rarely accept family history publications that don't contain source annotations. Regardless of how accurate I may feel the work to be, it isn't annotated. So, removing it as a source, what other sources are there?

They are likely to accept the lineage information provided within the testimony to the Dawes Commission. (The Dawes Commission rejected their claims to be of Choctaw descent, but not their testimony of how they were all related to each other.) My grandmother is mentioned in the testimony, as she was born a few months prior. My second great grandmother, Sarah (Hartley) Denyer is also mentioned. She died two years prior to the testimony, but her brother testified. I have a copy of the 1854 marriage certificate for Sarah Hartley and Ebenezer Denyer.

Can I connect Ebenezer Denyer with Mark Fretz with acceptable records? The answer lies in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Ebenezer was born there, as was his mother, Elizabeth (Sliver) Denyer, grandmother Barbara (Fretz) Sliver, and his great-grandfather, Mark Fretz. [His mother and grandmother both died in Texas, which would be helpful in proving that he is the same Ebenezer Denyer.] There is a good chance it could be done.

Amanuensis Monday: A Blue Star Tribute

Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.

I began this project back on February 16, 2009. Since I began, many others have joined in on the meme. I am thrilled that this meme I started has inspired so many to transcribe and share their family history documents. Why do we transcribe? I provide my three reasons in the linked post. You may find others.

***
This week I transcribe a newspaper article from 1945 mentioning some cousins from Chicago.

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Chicago Daily News – Aug 15, 1945

A BLUE STAR TRIBUTE
Mothers Toast Victory Their Fighting Sons Won
By Norine Foley

Glasses were raised to service stars of blue and gold yesterday in countless Chicago homes in tribute to the boys who bent the knees of the Nazis and the Nips.

“It’s only gingerale,” said Mrs. Rose Odelson of 6651 N. Greenview av., mother of eight fighting sons. “But to know that all my boys are spared and will soon be home is intoxicating enough for me. Here’s a toast from a grateful mother’s heart!”

Her son, Sgt. Sidney, 24, who was wounded in the Battle of Aachen, was at home to rejoice with his parents.

“I’m so happy I don’t know what I’m doing,” he said. “I’m not only going to celebrate for all my brothers, but for all the buddies I fought with. It’s a great day.”

The others in service are Pvt. Oscar, 37; Pfc. Joseph, 35; Sgt. Ben, 32; Corp. Irving, 31; Sgt. Meyer, 20; Pfc. Julius, 27; and Pfc. Roy, 21.

Notes

1) My 2nd great grandfather, Selig Dudelczyk, had a brother named Julius who changed his surname to Odelson. Julius's son, Samuel had 13 children, including eight sons who served during World War II.

2) Note on copyright: The Chicago Daily News ceased publication in the 1970s. It was part of Field Enterprises, which was dissolved in 1984. Unable to figure out who the current copyright owner is, I am sharing this with hopes it falls within "Fair Use" guidelines.

Amanuensis Monday: The Marriage of Agnes Gober and William Lane - 1919

Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.

I began this project back on February 16, 2009. Since I began, many others have joined in on the meme. I am thrilled that this meme I started has inspired so many to transcribe and share their family history documents. Why do we transcribe? I provide my three reasons in the linked post. You may find others.

***
This week I transcribe a news article from the Sikeston Standard concerning Agnes Gober, the sister of my wife's great grandfather, Robert Gober.

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Miss Agnes Gober of Vanduser and Will Lane, who lives near Charleston, slipped away from a party of friends at the Fair Grounds Saturday afternoon and drove to Charleston, where they were married. The bride is the attractive daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Gober and has a great many friends among the younger set here, where she has been a student in the High School. The groom is an industrious young farmer of Mississippi county and will take his bride to the home he had ready for her, on the farm.

Sikeston Standard (Sikeston, Missouri) · Fri, Oct 10, 1919 · Page 4

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Notes:

1) Charleston is a city in Mississippi County, Missouri, and is about 15 miles from Sikeston, and 26 miles from Vanduser.

2) It sounds like the marriage wasn't a planned event - closer to an elopement. Their first child would be born 8 months, 19 days later. George William and Agnes (Gober) Lane had four children: William, Murray, Dorothy and James.

Amanuensis Monday: The Obituary of Margaret (Watkins) Van Every - 1910

Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.

I began this project back on February 16, 2009. Since I began, many others have joined in on the meme. I am thrilled that this meme I started has inspired so many to transcribe and share their family history documents. Why do we transcribe? I provide my three reasons in the linked post. You may find others.

***
This week I transcribe the obituary for Margaret (Watkins) Van Every (1842-1910), the third wife of my great great grandfather, Samuel Van Every (1820-1888).

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The Galveston Daily News, Saturday, January 22, 1910

VAN EVERY – San Marcos, Tex., Jan. 20 –
Mrs. S. J. Van Every, one of the oldest resi-
dents of this city, died at her home in Katy-
ville, a suburb of this city, this afternoon about
6 o’clock. She had been in poor health for
some time. She is survived by two sons and
three daughters, as follows: Melvin and Walter
Van Every of this city, Mrs. John Carleton of
Austin and Mrs. A.S. Mooney and Miss Nettie
Van Every of this city. The internment will be
In the City Cemetery tomorrow afternoon at
2:30 o’clock.

***
Notes:

1) My great grandfather, Melvin Van Every, was the son of Samuel and his second wife, Abigail Stuart. The other four children listed were Margaret's children. Samuel had a total of 22 children, and while many died young, more than these five survived in 1910. I suspect Melvin is listed because he remained in town, while other children of Abigail, and Samuel's first wife, Cordelia Hitchcock, lived elsewhere.

In 1910, three of the four children of Cordelia were alive, five of the nine children of Abigail, and four of the nine children of Margaret. Mrs. A.S. Mooney is Pearl (1871-1958), Mrs. John Carleston is Myrtle (1877-1966) - after whom my grandmother was named, and Miss Nettie is actually Lettie (1881-1953) - She would marry Robert Collier in 1911.

Amanuensis Monday: The Declaration of Intention for Ben Cruvand - 1919

Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.

I began this project back on February 16, 2009. Since I began, many others have joined in on the meme. I am thrilled that this meme I started has inspired so many to transcribe and share their family history documents. Why do we transcribe? I provide my three reasons in the linked post. You may find others.

***
This week I transcribe the Declaration of Intention for Ben Cruvand, a first cousin of my great grandmother, Bertha Cruvant Newmark.

---

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
NATURALIZATION OFFICE
No. 22316
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
DECLARATION OF INTENTION
Invalid for all purposes seven years after the date hereof
United States of America
Eastern District of Missouri
In the District Court of the United States in and for the Eastern Division of the Eastern Judicial District of Missouri

I, Ben Cruvand, aged 43 years, occupation Merchant do declare on oath that my personal description is: Color White, complexion Fair, height 5 feet 5 inches, weight 130 pounds, color of hair Brown, color of eyes Blue other visible distinctive marks None

I was born in Kovno, Russia on the 17th day of January, anno Domini 1865; I now reside at 2608 Cass Ave, St. Louis, Mo.

I emigrated to the United States of America from Bremen, Germany on the vessel Unknown; my last foreign residence was Kovno, Russia; I am married; the name of my wife is Pearl; she was born at England and now resides at 2608 Cass Ave.

It is my bona fide intention to renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, and particularly The present government of Russia, of whom I am now a subject; I arrived at the port of New York, in the state of New York, on or about the – day of May, anno Domini 1882. I am not an anarchist; I am not a polygamist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy; and it is my intention in good faith to become a citizen of the United States of America and to permanently reside therein; SO HELP ME GOD.

(signature) Ben Cruvand

Subscribed and sworn to before me in the office of the Clerk of said Court at St. Louis, Mo., this 31st day of March anno Domini 1919

WW Hall (Signature), Clerk
By [unreadable signature], Deputy Clerk.

***
Notes:

1) Ben was the son of Samuel and Riva (Rosenblatt) Cruvand. Samuel was the brother of my second great grandfather, Moshe Leyb Cruvant. Ben was born in the town of Cekiske, in Kovno, Russia. Here he states that his wife, Pearl, was born in England, though elsewhere it is stated that she was born in Nashville, Tennessee. Which is uncertain.

Amanuensis Monday: On Beekeeping in Goliad County, and the Importance of the Source

Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.

I began this project back on February 16, 2009. Since I began, many others have joined in on the meme. I am thrilled that this meme I started has inspired so many to transcribe and share their family history documents. Why do we transcribe? I provide my three reasons in the linked post. You may find others.

***
This week I transcribe a newspaper article from 1916 mentioning my great grandfather, Melvin Van Every, and his apiary business.

---

Galveston Daily News

Sept 10, 1916

GOLIAD COUNTY’S BEE COLONIES PRODUCE 125,000 POUNDS HONEY
W.C. Collier has 800 and Others in Various Sections
Increase Total Hives to 2,635 – Business is Remunerative, Though Need for State Association And Selling Agency is Recognized.

Goliad, Tex. Sept. 9 – The bee-keeping industry in Goliad County has been recognized for a good many years as one of the best money crops of this section. Blessed by natural vegetation readily adaptable to the culture of bees and the production of an excellent quality of honey, substantial farmers long since recognized the values to be derived from the industry. The growth of the industry has been substantial and at present there are within the borders of Goliad County 2,635 colonies of bees yielding on an average 125,000 pounds of honey. Though the price fluctuates from year to year and there is a pressing need for a state organization to foster the industry and promote selling agencies, several thousands of dollars annually are brought into the county from the sale of honey.

[…]

Mr. Collier has prepared for The News a list of the names of persons who follow the business of bee-keeping as a principal vocation or as side line. The list follows:

Geo. M. Farwell, Berclair……100
ME Van Every, Berclair……..550
Jno. W. Pharr, Berclair………100
EN Pharr, Berclair…………...100
Horace Nutt, Berclair………..200
AV Nutt, Berclair…................50
Mr. Hardin, Berclair…............150
CM Collier, Goliad…..............200
JM Collier, Goliad…...............200
WC Collier, Goliad…..............800
JR Stoedtler, Goliad….............60
Richard Gibb, Goliad…...........25
All others about…....................100
Total colonies, Goliad County.2,635

Few queens Are Sold.

Mr. Collier has prepared also a paper regarding the industry in this county, which follows:

“The business of rearing queens and selling them is not carried on extensively. John W. Pharr of Berclair is the only one in the county who carries an advertisement in the bee journals of the United States. M.E. Van Every sells a good many queen bees, but gives more attention to the production of honey than to rearing queens.”

[…]

“I should say, making a rough guess, that at least 125,000 pounds has been taken from the bees in this county, this year. It is hard to set the value on it, as a large bulk of it has not been sold.  The highest price paid for honey here this year in wholesale lots was (?)c per pound for comb honey, which means 7c for the extracted or strained. Just now I am only getting (?)c for the comb honey and (?)c for the extracted. This is using the two 60-pound case for a base. Smaller cans, of course, have a small differential in their favor.”

***

Notes:

1) I include images where I had difficulty reading.  CM Collier might actually have had 300 colonies, but if that's the case, I'm off a 100 in the other direction on one of the others, since they have to total 2,635.

2) I am reminded of one of Elizabeth Shown Mills' presentation on dealing with families with common names at the NGS Conference. One of her case studies included a list of names from a newspaper article, and she drew attention to the order the names were presented. They weren't alphabetical, or any other logical format. It turned out they were likely in the order the author of the article thought of them.

Similarly, the listed apiarists appear to be in the order WC Collier placed them, not the newspaper, and while he does organize them by city, within the cities they aren't in alphabetical or number order.

I'm more interested in whether the numbers are accurate. A 1910 article stated my great grandfather had 609 colonies, up from the 11 colonies he started with in 1903, and twice the 300 he had in 1907. If the number of colonies he had grew from year to year, how come he only had 550 in 1916?

3) WC Collier may have been accurate - for the Van Every apiary in Berclair. The 1910 article states he was moving 609 colonies by rail. The signature stated he was writing from Maxwell, Texas in Caldwell County. Where was he moving them too? Berclair? Did he keep some in Maxwell? I believe he may have maintained more than one farm, and thus possibly more than one apiary.

3) Melvin's sister, Lettie, married a Robert Collier. Looking for Robert in the 1910 census, he is a lodger in another Vanevery home, Pearl Vanevery Mooney. There are lots of Robert Colliers, but this almost has to be the correct one. Using the birth year from the 1910 census, In the 1900 census, we find likely siblings, but no William or any of the other initials of the Colliers in Goliad. So while they could be related, it's likely not closely.

I believe I have found the parents of WC Collier - It seems he is Willis Cathey Collier (1877-). Carleton M, might actually be Charles Marmaduke Collier, who appears to be a brother of Willis. Their parents are possibly John Willis Collier and Sarah Cathey, from Kentucky. (I'm relying partially on an online discussion post in addition to the census results, and I'm not positive of its accuracy. Since I don't think they are related to Lettie's husband, I'm not going to spend a lot of time verifying the information right now.)

NGS2015: Final Conference Thoughts

It's been almost two weeks since the conference. Reflecting, the conference was a lot of fun, and educational. It's a shame that there are so many good sessions to choose from, and one can't go to all of them. However, I am thankful for the syllabus. Every presenter provided two or four pages of material for their presentation - often outlines and additional resources. The combined material encompasses over 500 pages. There is, of course, a lot of information in a presentation that isn't included in the syllabus, but I am hopeful as I go through it I will find a lot of good resources and research advice from sessions I missed.

One idea for future conferences:

During the conference, I saw the masses of genealogists and wondered: Is there anybody here whose research intersects with mine? It was stated in the opening session that there were 2100 pre-registered attendees. What if: Pre-registered attendees were given the opportunity to enter surnames and locations of interest into an online computer application, which would then email those with matches? This shouldn't be difficult to code. Attendees would know beforehand that there was somebody they wanted to get together with and share notes.

(I checked the NGS website, and it appears this matching service isn't included in the benefits to NGS membership, which would be a nice benefit for members as well as conference attendees.)

Memorial Day 2015

Below is my annual post for Memorial Day Weekend.

A post on what Memorial Day is for, besides barbecues.

The above image comes from a past version of the Memorial Day page at the US Department of Veterans Affairs, explaining that Memorial Day is a day for remembering those who died in the service of their country.  [Read the full text of the poem.]

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War (it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the civil war), it was expanded after World War I to include American casualties of any war or military action. [source]

[More on the history of Memorial Day]


Unnamed Remains the Bravest Soldier - by Walt Whitman (From 'Specimen Days')

OF scenes like these, I say, who writes—whoe’er can write the story? Of many a score—aye, thousands, north and south, of unwrit heroes, unknown heroisms, incredible, impromptu, first-class desperations—who tells? No history ever—no poem sings, no music sounds, those bravest men of all—those deeds. No formal general’s report, nor book in the library, nor column in the paper, embalms the bravest, north or south, east or west. Unnamed, unknown, remain, and still remain, the bravest soldiers. Our manliest—our boys—our hardy darlings; no picture gives them. Likely, the typic one of them (standing, no doubt, for hundreds, thousands,) crawls aside to some bush-clump, or ferny tuft, on receiving his death-shot—there sheltering a little while, soaking roots, grass and soil, with red blood—the battle advances, retreats, flits from the scene, sweeps by—and there, haply with pain and suffering (yet less, far less, than is supposed,) the last lethargy winds like a serpent round him—the eyes glaze in death—none recks—perhaps the burial-squads, in truce, a week afterwards, search not the secluded spot—and there, at last, the Bravest Soldier crumbles in mother earth, unburied and unknown.

The cartoon above is by John T. McCutcheon - published circa 1900

I have many ancestors and kin who served in their nation's armed forces during war-time. I honor them on Veterans Day. However, the closest relative who was killed in action was my grandfather's brother, my great-uncle, Mandell Newmark.

NGS2015: Days Three and Four

Friday, May 15 - NGS Family History Conference

Tired from the first two days of the conference, I took things a bit more slowly. When I arrived at the convention center, I ordered a mocha latte and sat down on a couch and rested a bit. When the Exhibit Hall opened, I wandered the tables some more. I spent some time in the Ancestry.com area browsing their World Records. I ran into a work colleague and chatted for a few minutes. Neither of us knew the other was researching their family history.

At 11am, I attended the presentation by Robert McLaren (RML) on Scots-Irish Research. My wife has Wallace and Muldoon ancestry, and it's possible I have McGregor or McAlpin ancestry. While it's not clear if our Scottish ancestors were part of the Scots-Irish migrations, I figured the session could provide some useful areas of research. RML led us through the history of the three main Scots-Irish migrations between the late 13th century and mid 17th century, and then the late 17th century, early 18th century migrations to the United States. Then several useful websites were shared, few of which I was already familiar. RML, the Clan MacLaren Society genealogist, also reminded the audience that many of the Scottish clans have Clan Genealogists who can be a great resource.

I had lunch at the food truck, and planned to go to a presentation at 2:30 on organizing one's research, but the presentation was postponed until Saturday. It was raining hard, so I waited for the rain to subside before leaving the conference. I made a stop at the St. Charles County Library to return a library book. (the separate library systems of St. Charles County, St. Louis County, and St. Louis City have an agreement where residents can obtain library cards for all the systems.)

I returned home, and had a relaxing Shabbat Dinner with my family.

Saturday, May 16 - NGS Family History Conference

On the final day of the conference I attended three sessions.

First, at 9:30am, Smiths and Jones: How to Cope with Families of Common Names, presented by Elizabeth Shown Mills (ESM).

The presentation outlined five models to use while conducting research that can help you avoid even the pitfalls of the most common names:

• The Research Process Model
• The Research Analysis Model
• The Identity Triangulation Model
• The Genealogical Proof Standard
• The Problem Solving Spiral

These research models can, naturally, be used with any surnames. By illustrating their success in two case studies - one for a Mary Smith, and one for a Joshua Jones - ESM was able to show their usefulness for all research.

At 11am Julie Miller (JM) presented Organizing Your Genealogy Without Losing Your Mind. Emphasizing that "there is no best system, only a best system for you," JM presented the reasons we organize, the items genealogists must organize, and a variety of methods we can choose from. Whatever combination of methods we chose, JM suggested they should be "Simple, Consistent, and Maintainable."

After another lunch at the food trucks, I ended the conference with the session Find Your Civilian Ancestors in Unique Civil War Records presented by Ruth Ann (Abels) Hager (RAAH), Her focus was on two sets of records from the National Archives:

• Union Provost Marshals' File of Papers Relating to Individual Civilian
• Union Provost Marshals' File of Papers Relating to Two or More Civilian

RAAH presented what sort of documents one was likely to find in these record sets, and where and how they could be searched or browsed. She also indicated when going through the Individual Citizen records, one would often find index cards that indicate the person is referenced in the other "Two or More Civilian" record set. However, not every person referenced in the "Two or More Civilian" record set has an index card in the "Individual Civilian" record set. And since none of the websites that host the images for these record sets have an index for the second record set, one needs to spend the time going through them image by image.

After this session, I left the conference with the satisfaction that I had learned a great number of new resources, and received a lot of great research and writing advice.

NGS2015: Day Two

Today was Day Two of the National Genealogical Society's Family History Conference.

I arrived shortly before 8am for my first session of the day: Transcription, Abstraction, and the Records, presented by Rev. David McDonald. I thought it would be an appropriate session to attend due to the series of transcriptions I have made for Amanuensis Monday. The documents he chose were late 18th early 19th century handwritten documents, reminding me of an 18th century will I was unable to decipher. Rev. McDonald led us through the process of transcribing and abstracting the documents, as well as discussing ways to identify when a document was written, such as the paper, ink, and script that was used. Most of what he discussed here was beyond my skill level, but I know if I had to read enough documents written in the 18th and early 19th centuries, I'd learn the difference.

At 9:30, all the seats in the room were filled as D. Joshua Taylor, from Genealogy Roadshow, discussed The World's Periodicals in Your Hand: PERSI and Beyond. He indicated that while HeritageQuest has an archival version of PERSI (Periodical Search Index), FindMyPast has an up-to-date version to which they are slowly attaching digitized versions of the periodicals. He discussed how to best search the index, and how to access copies of the periodicals that aren't digitized.

At 11am, Daniel Horowitz, Chief Genealogist for MyHeritage, explained how to Research Jewish Genealogical Records from your Couch. While the focus of his presentation, as indicated by the title, was on a multitude of online databases, he also included a few resources that would require getting dressed and doing a bit of traveling. There were several resources of which I was unaware and I am looking forward to exploring.

Between the first two sessions, I had run into a friend I knew from a local writer's group. We agreed to meet up for lunch at the Embassy Suites, adjoining the convention center, which was offering a buffet spread. While it cost a little more than I would have spent at one of the food trucks, since it was a buffet, I was able to eat more than I would have.

At 2:30 I attended Elizabeth Shown Mills' presentation Genealogy Research and Writing: Are You a Saint, Sinner, or Bumfuzzled Soul? I clearly hadn't had enough writing-related presentations yesterday. The focus of the discussion was on how to avoid charges of plagiarism with your wriitng, as well as the differences between copyright, plagiarism, ethics, and law. Most of this wasn't new to me, but it was a nice refresher.

At 4pm, I ended the day learning Guidelines to Finding Polish Records from Amy Wachs. While Daniel Horowitz had discussed several databases on which I might be able to find my Polish Jewish ancestors, the focus of this presentation was less on the actual databases, and more of a background on Polish history, and how that has influenced the structure of its archival system, and the records themselves. I was excited to learn that Poland was slowly getting interested in digitizing some of its records.

I am amazed at how much I have learned, and I am only halfway through the conference.

NGS2015: Day One

Today was Day One of the National Genealogical Society's Family History Conference

After dropping our children off at daycare, I arrived at the conference just as the Opening Session was starting. I was able to quickly obtain my badge and lanyard at registration and enter the ballroom.

After some initial awards and door prizes were handed out, J Mark Lowe presented. He spoke in the voice of "Charlie Floyd," born in November 1804. Charlie was named after a relative, Charles Floyd, who was on the Lewis and Clark expedition, and died three months prior.

"Charlie" told many tales of his kin which included emotional reactions to a cholera epidemic, a little boy's favorite song, and dialogue. It was a moving performance, but left me wondering if all of it came from historical documents. The personal information could have been from journals, but it could also have been creative additions to add to the performance.

Lewis, a Bald Eagle from the World Bird Sanctuary made an appearance (he was said to have been named after Meriwether Lewis), and J Mark Lowe led the room in singing Woody Guthrie's song, This Land is Your Land.

After the opening session concluded, I browsed the Exhibit Hall. I met Dear Myrtle, Terri O'Connell from The In-Depth Genealogist, Susan Clark, and Diana Ritchie - four genealogists I've known through the blogging community and Facebook for several years, but had never met in person.

At 11am I attended "Principles of Good Writing and Good Storytelling" presented by John Philip Colletta. He discussed how the literary concepts of setting, action, characters, conflict, and theme all could be used to make our family history more enjoyable, without sacrificing accuracy. He specifically mentioned words that are often referred to as 'weasel words' by essayists and fiction writers are necessary qualifiers for the historian. If something only 'probably,' 'likely,' or 'possibly' happened, we have to be clear to the reader that we are speculating. Throughout the presentation he utilized examples from his own writing, which I found very helpful, as this is a topic with which I struggle. My college English degree was in composition, not literature, but my focus in college was on fiction and poetry writing courses. I have a lot of experience writing professionally in the business world, but there I am expected to focus on the facts without adding creative flourishes. Family History writing requires adding these flourishes when the facts aren't in abundance, which can be a challenge.

After this session finished, it was time for lunch. I had signed up for the luncheon presentation by Legal Genealogist, Judy G. Russell. Her presentation, "The Rest of the Story," started with the guardianship papers for siblings Andrew Jackson Battles and Samantha Battles. From there she presented additional documents that took us "beyond the begats" and told "the rest of the story." She also discussed how, as family historians, we are potentially "gatekeepers of secrets." She discussed the NGS Standards for Sharing Information With Others, as well as some other ethical considerations. The examples she chose to support her presentation were emotionally moving. I don't think anyone left the room with dry eyes.

There was an hour before the next session, so I peeked outside. I had heard there would be food trucks available, and I was curious which ones - to plan ahead for lunch for the rest of the conference.  I saw the food trucks for Yo Salsa, Deli on a Roll, and Slice of the Hill. Mexican, Kosher Style deli, and Italian. If the food trucks remain the same, it's a good selection.

The final session I attended today was "Maps! Wonderful Maps" presented by Sayre and Sayre. Rick Sayre began with a discussion of Map resources, and Pamela Boyer Sayre followed with a case study. This was actually a 2-hour presentation, and I was only able to attend the first hour. There was to be a second case study in the second half. While I was already familiar with Sanborn fire insurance maps, several other map resources at the Library of Congress, the David Rumsey collection and elsewhere, were discussed. I took copious notes.

After the first half of the session concluded, it was time for me to pick up my boys at daycare. I left the convention center tired, but confident I had learned a lot that would help with my own research and writing. Days two through four lie ahead.

NGS2015: Dining Recommendations from a Local

The National Genealogical Society Conference is next week – May 13-16 in St. Charles, Missouri.

While the official activities begin on Wednesday, I know some attendees will begin to arrive on Monday and Tuesday for some local tours that are being offered.

There's a Cracker Barrel across the street from the Convention center, but attendees may be seeking some other dining options. The Convention Center's website has a list of local restaurants running from fast food to fancy dining. I'll assume everyone is familiar with the national chains. Which restaurants unique to the local area can I recommend?

I have lived in neighboring St. Louis County my entire life, and while I don’t dine often in St. Charles, there are several local St. Louis restaurants that have locations in St. Charles as well

• Llywelyn’s Pub 
• Are you looking for some Bangers & Mash, Shepherd’s Pie, Fish & Chips, Welsh Rarebit, or just a good hamburger? I can recommend Llywelyn’s. I am only familiar with their original location in St. Louis’s Central West End (Note: The CWE makes an appearance in Anne Rice’s Queen of the Damned). They now have seven locations, including one in Kansas City. The St. Charles location is just under two miles from the convention center.

• Sugarfire Smokehouse
• OMG amazing bbq. If you like bbq, don’t leave the convention without trying it. Three locations, with a fourth coming soon, and they’ve been around for less than three years. The St. Charles location is about 5 miles from the convention center. (I’m only familiar with their original Olivette location)

• Little Hills Winery and Restaurant
• Only one location. I’ve eaten here with friends, and had a great time. We went for the wine, stayed for the restaurant. Don’t remember a lot. Funny, that.

St. Louis Traditions

• Imo's Pizza
• St. Louis style pizza. A local chain. Nearest location less than two miles from the convention center. They deliver.

• If it gets hot, and you are willing to drive a little further, I highly recommend stopping for some of Ted Drewes’ Frozen Custard - It is a St. Louis favorite. However, they’re 22 miles/30 minutes from the convention center.

Wineries

I mention Little Hills above, but there are other wineries that aren't too far away. Here's a list of them. The ones in Augusta and Defiance, Missouri are about 30-45 minute drive from the convention center. The two I am most familiar with are in Defiance - Yellow Farmhouse and Sugar Creek.

Kosher and Kosher-Style?

Maybe you are headed to St. Charles, and wondering about the area’s Kosher options? Here’s a list of Certified Kosher eateries in the area. As you can see by following the link, there aren’t many, and they’re all in St. Louis.

The only certified kosher sit-down restaurant is Gokul (20 miles/30 min from convention center). That’s right, a vegetarian Indian restaurant. I’ve eaten there, and can definitely recommend it, but you won't find corned beef or chopped liver on their menu. I can recommend Kohn’s Kosher Deli for either of those, and more. (11 miles, 20 min).

However, if you’re looking for a good reuben sandwich (something Kohn's will not serve you), or don’t mind if you get your meal somewhere that has one on the menu, your options increase.

You'll find reubens on many restaurant menus, of course, but if you're looking for something authentic, my personal recommendations: Pumpernickels (10 miles/20 minutes from convention center) and Protzels (18 miles/25 minutes from convention center). Neither serves dinner.

Note: If you’re looking for a synagogue at which to attend services, here's a list. However, the only synagogue in St. Charles closed in 2014, so you will have to drive.