Sam's Life in Letters

How will you be remembered when you are gone? Would you want your loved ones to honor your memory with a song, a poem, or a story? My maternal Great Grandfather, Samuel B. Nelson was an alumni from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. He began writing letters to the college in 1934, and the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine began publishing these letters. I have copies of a series of 6 such letters, that you will find below.

In this first letter, written by Sam, which was published in the May 1934 issue, he reports that he has 5 sons, and 13 grandchildren. At this point in time, the AAA (Agricultural Adjustment Act), had ordered him to reduce his milk production, but the writer of this magazine doubts that Sam had done so.

The 2nd letter was also written by Sam, and it was in the June 1934 issue. He spoke of plenty of snow on the slopes for skiing. He had a recent visit from his son, Forrest and his wife, and all 5 granddaughters. Sam now has 18 grandchildren to brighten his days.

Letter number 3 was again written by Sam, and either there was a very lengthy period of time between letters, or possibly there are missing letters, as this one was published in January 1940. Sam had just added another grandchild making the count 19 to date. He is back to walking with a cane, just like he did in his senior year at college. His letter was dated December 1, and based on the statements made in the latter part of the article, there were concerns that possibly Sam would have difficulties making it through the holidays.

Sam's 4th letter, published in the June 1940 issue, would prove to be his last. This time, he spoke of having his "full quota of grandchildren", and was still keeping up hope for his last 2 sons and 1 daughter to be married and start having children. Sam's kids are scattered to the 4 winds, so for the first time ever in 50 years of marriage, Sam & Flora are alone.

There was no letter in this issue, because Samuel Boody Nelson had died. In place of a letter, the Alumni Magazine published the complete obituary for Sam. The obituary was sent by Mrs. Nelson along with a short note to the class secretary. In it, she wrote that he had passed away after a slight shock, followed by a heart attack. Since timing is very important when determining the course of events in your ancestor's past, it would be good to know exactly how much time had passed between "a slight shock" and the "heart failure". Also good to know, is why Mrs. Nelson referred to the event as a "slight shock". Would a "slight shock" cause a heart attack? I doubt it very much. Logic tells us, that it would take a pretty major shock, unless there was evidence of a prior heart condition. That evidence has not, thus far, manifested itself. It is possible that Mrs. Nelson was being polite in writing about her husband's demise.
Ever since I have been researching the lives and deaths of my Sam Nelson and family, I have now uncovered the biggest family secret so far. Sam & Flora had 2 children who never married, son, Floyd, and daughter, Kathleen. That was because they decided that they were in love with each other, and were going to live together as husband and wife. Now, Floyd was 14 years older than Kathleen. I have confirmed that in 1940, both Floyd and Kathleen left the family home, and even moved from the state of Vermont. I have not yet found evidence to support a theory of both of them leaving together. However; I did locate Floyd in the 1940 U.S. Federal Census, renting a room in the large home of Donald Keller, and Floyd was working at the local hospital as an orderly. Kathleen's obituary states that she left Vermont in 1940. There is no mention of exactly where she moved to. When they made the decision to live together as such, they also decided to have children. I can imagine the shame and horror that Sam & Flora felt. There were 2 children from this union. First a son, Larry born in 1948, then a daughter, Flora born in 1952.

After all that had transpired within the family, it was another 5 years before a final letter was received. My Great Grandma Flora wrote this one. Nothing earth shattering was reported; only an update on all the kids and their families. At the end of the letter, Flora writes about the pleasure that Sam received from all the countless cards over the years from his college classmates at Dartmouth. I believe it was this in the end that gave Sam a small sense of relief, to help him mentally escape the stressed caused by the fraction of his family!

"My Family Tree is Full of Nuts!"

This is a statement that I have no doubt in my mind that many other genealogists have made or at least thought of. To an outsider, it might seem like one was trying to say in a nice way, how dysfunctional their families are. I prefer to view it as a term of endearment to describe members of families who bring fun, excitement, and even some silliness to the otherwise mundane, boring and sometimes tedious table of life! 

We all need to inspire and develop a good sense of humor and not be afraid to laugh at ourselves. It has long been said that :Laughter is the best medicine!" , and in the world we live in today, it is desperately needed. Sometimes, the humor is not recognized or acknowledged in a single event until years later. Allowing ourselves to get caught up in a pressure cooker situation or environment for too long a time, will gradually drain us of who we once were. Be brave enough to intentionally inject a little humor during those times, and it will release a bit of that pressure before it is too late, and the explosion occurs.

It's nice to take advantage of the digital and social media world we live in. Now we can easily capture, with the "click" of a mouse, amusing, family memories to add in a digital file, or print to be placed in an old school family photo album. And, lets Not forget to write a short silly note to go with them, for later in life to enjoy these precious moments again. Besides that, pics like these are great to show the future children of the people in them; and as disbelieving as it may be, it will show and attest to the humanity  of them to their children. Let's face it, one of the best methods of revenge that parents have, is to be an embarrassment in front of their children's friends.

Now to the darker side of humor. How many genealogists, I wonder, can write that they had a grandmother who brought her camera to a family funeral? While many would be totally floored at this idea, and the family member who passed it on to me was shocked by it, I found some silly humor in it. I also examined the photo from a family historian's perspective. And, don't forget, we are known as "Those weird people who go looking for cemeteries to roam through." Why, we have even been known to take pictures of headstones! So, a bit of morbid humor? I say, a resounding, YES!

Next, there is motherly humor. Depending on the mother/child relationship, that level and type of humor can take many twists and turns, and take many forms. What may begin as a gentle tickle session, moves on to a toss in the air, then as time moves on, becomes a wrestling hold that you learn on TV. Now thew cool-headed, multi-tasking mom can restrain her child in this hold and continue a conversation with another person. And, who couldn't resist  a little personal one on one time with a smile like that?

Now, the best one for last. We have the star of a family who isn't afraid to let her hair down, and strike a pose for a fun pic. When I look at her in this pic, I am reminded of my youth when I felt and acted the same way. Do I miss it? You better believe that I do! This too, will be shared and added to my family tree. you know, the one that I said in the beginning is full of nuts? But, you know something else? I love each and everyone of them, and nobody else could possibly take their place in my family tree.

The Fire That RootsTech 2013 Started!

The best 2 1/2 days that I spent, and felt so very fortunate to be able to watch, listen,  & learn while the annual technology & genealogical conference was streaming for free on the internet. To be able to sit in the comfort of my own home and gain immense knowledge that will help keep you on the cutting edge, and help you to grow and open your eyes to possibilities that  you otherwise would only had dreamt of. I first learned about this conference last year, but it was at the last minute and I did not have time to properly prepare. This year was different. I printed out the blogpost that Randy Seaver was so kind to share, providing the complete presentation schedule for all of the streaming events. I then pinned it to my corkboard message board that hangs right in front of my desk; blocked out all 3 days on my desk blotter calendar & even posted a status on my Facebook wall telling all my friends that I would be incognito  during those 3 days. Mr. Seaver also included instructions & the link to download & print all of the class syllabuses. This made life so much simpler than last year. I followed the instructions step by step, then set up a special file to save the syllabuses in, & clicked and saved until I had them all.

Day 1 had 4 presentations beginning with "The Future of Genealogy" which was a panel discussion between 7 very highly respected members of the genealogy community. With technology sometimes changing faster than the speed of light, it's a wonder any of us can keep up. Those of us from the slightly older generation, who have spent years, and for some, decades diligently doing and carefully documenting our research in whatever manner is comfortable for us. Now, we have to consider our younger, next generation who will be taking the reins. Next was, "Tell It Again", and it taught us the importance of putting down our stories. It immediately made me realize that even though I have nearly 12 years of names, dates, places, & events, and even some pictures; I have not taken the time to write down stories, that will help bring our past  to life. Next came "The Genealogist's Gadget Bag". This was an international panel discussion with 3 genealogists and 1 moderator. Watching this show and tell session prompted me to begin my new Gadget Acquisition list. And I thought I was pretty well organized; it humbled me to be in the presence of such seasoned pros. The final session of the day was, "Finding the Obscure and Elusive: Geographic Information on the Web". Throughout the several years of my research, my main focus was on people and time. I usually don't give much thought to location. Sure, I have made use of Google Earth, and was quite successful in travelling to France, and finally locating my paternal grandfather's hometown, south of Paris. And, that for me, was a "Woo Hoo!" moment. But, I slacked off, & never considered the importance of my ancestor's location. 

By the end of the 1st day, I not only had a few pages of my notebook filled with notes, but 1/2 of my desktop was covered with little post-it notes, each one reminding me of websites to visit, or gadgets to add to my shopping list. The next 2 days were likewise filled with excellent presentations, a truckload of information, and an overall feeling of excitement which seemed to light a new fire within me to intensify my search, and my passion has been re-born anew. Look out ancestors, because here I come!

Up On The Roof....

               

     Summer had ended for the residents of Troy, N.Y.; but for one young man in the early hours before dawn on Tuesday, September 19, 1961. This man who seven years earlier had left the wilds of Burlington, VT. behind him to begin a new life in the bosom of sibling family on Stowe Avenue in Troy. Young Eli Napoleon Burnum, my Uncle Zeke, was visiting the Copa Lounge on 412 River Street, but not in your usual way, nor at the appropiate hour. A neighbor had called the police when they heard a disturbance on the roof of the Copa Lounge at 3 A. M.. 

     I don't know why or what possessed him to climb on the roof that particular night, it was most certainly out of character for the uncle that I knew from family gatherings. I stumbled across these two newspaper clippings quite by accident while doing some family research at the local Family History Center. Some would say that this item adds a bit of spice to the otherwise boring and mundane part of family history that is contained in the gathering of facts and dates. It must have been a very slow night for the Troy Police Dept., because all total there were ten policemen including the Captain, the Assistant Chief, the Sargent, a Detective, 2 plain - clothesmen, plus 2 more patrolmen; then several other officers showed up on the scene! Did it really take that many men to help my uncle down off the roof? I have decided to file this under "Sources of Amusement". Case Closed!!

                                                            

Reliable Sources???

I recently received this original newspaper clipping of the death of my dad, which was in June 1979. A very close cousin sent it to me after discovering it in one of her father's Bibles. Her dad and mom had also died recently, and their kids were sorting through some personal items. I am blessed to have a cousin who fully appreciates my quest for my family history! As a genealogist, I have read this new item many times; each time going through it with a different purpose in mind. The first time was a quick read simply to read through it from a family perspective, being that I am his first-born child. The next few times reading through it, this time much more carefully, and as a genealogist, was to glean every single bit of information contained in it.

Not surprisingly, I found the usual typos and spelling mistakes. When considering the inclusion of data from any item or document, we must first determine the original sources of that item. For example: this clipping has a few sources. 1. The person who provided the information, 2. The writer/newspaper employee who interviewed that same person in number 1., 3. The writer/newspaper employee who wrote the article., and lastly, 4. The newspaper editor.
When you consider all of the above people who are involved in or had a hand in gathering this information, then presenting it in this format, before automatically accepting all or even part of it, you must examine it with a questioning eye.
The first item I found as an information error, was his residency status. Looking in the last 2 sentences, in the 2nd paragraph, it states, "Mr. Guerin resided in Troy for the last three years, and in Watervliet for about 26 years. While in Watervliet, he was a communicant of Sacred Heart of Mary Church." Most people would read this and accept all that it says. Only very close, immediate family members, and other insiders, like very close friends will recognize the flawed information from those 2 statements. First of all, we left Watervliet shortly after I turned 7 years old to go live out in the country. We moved to a house with a fair amount of land located on Dunnsbach Road in West Crescent, N.Y.. We lived there for several years before moving down the same road to a bigger house with 20 acres of land. Secondly, my dad was never a "communicant" of Sacred Heart of Mary, or any other church. Both of my parents only went to church if there was a wedding, baptism, confirmation, or death. They were not regular church goers, nor did they drag any of us kids to go. We had one maternal aunt, (the mom of my cousin who sent me this clipping), who strongly believed in the Catholic Church. She was the one who came every Saturday morning to pick up me and my brother to go to Catechism. 
So, in closing, a word to the wise. The next time you come across, or receive any item of genealogical value, "Always consider the source!"

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!!

     Or is it??? When asked the proverbial question, "What does Christmas mean to you?", what are the first thoughts that come to your mind? Do you still have the courage of heart to wish strangers you see on the street each day a "Merry Christmas" without worrying about being "Politically Correct"?  

In today's modern fast-paced age of technology, the internet, television commercials filled with all the cool electronic gadgets and toys that you and your kids can ever dream of; how much plastic will it take to make those dreams come true, and fill up the space under your tree? What has happened to the past two generations? What have we become, and what will the "Spirit of Christmas" mean to our future generations?
     Yes, the holiday times are upon us all, and though the World Economy of 2012 is so sadly mirrored to that of the Last Great Depression,  

parents will entrench themselves in such a mass of unspeakable debt, just to attempt to satisfy the distorted, materialistic view on what the holidays are all about. Digital seasonal music will be blasting from every stereo and computer, homes will be flickering with bright LED lights that cover every square inch, yards will be filled with every type of blow-up animated object that can be found on the store shelves, parties will be planned, families will gather together, menus will be organized and tons of food will be prepared and served, shopping will be done, and presents will be wrapped and beautifully adorned with bows and colorful ribbons. On Christmas morning, children everywhere will tear through all those packages faster than a heat-seeking missile flying through space in search of its' prey.  

     Those of you who are old enough to take a trip down your very own personal memory lane, and dust off those old family albums filled with the photographic evidence of a lifetime of holidays, and Christmases spent, should take some time again this holiday season to re-visit your past in those albums. 

     Turn off the electronics, lock your children in the house, collect their cell phones and put them away for a couple of hours. Make your kids sit down with you as you flip through the album pages, and share your memories in great detail. I challenge you all this year, and each year going forward to actually re-create some of the old fashioned holiday practices and family traditions with the young ones. This will serve a two-fold purpose. It will teach them the importance of keeping traditions alive alongside creating new ones for the future. 

A Most Remarkable Woman- Aunt Bev

On Thursday, October 11, 2012,  the final chapter in the life of Beverly T. Martin was written. She passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 9, 2012 surrounded by her loving family at Wesley Nursing Home in Saratoga Springs, N. Y. I am dedicating this post to pay my everlasting respect to a very remarkable woman, who in my eyes will always be deserving of much love and adoration. Though her beginnings in this world were most humble indeed, Bev lived her life with gusto, never shied away from a challenge, and always found the positive side of even the worst negative situation.
To strangers, she was just your average country hard working family oriented woman, raising a family with good old fashioned values, and enjoying what life had to offer. When she wasn't busy with her home and family, she babysat many other children, donated her time for years as a den mother for the local Boy Scout Troop, was a fixture at the local church, and even found time for a weekly card game with friends. The need for family connection was so deeply instilled in myself and all my cousins thanks to the annual re-union parties that Aunt Bev organized and held. It is my fervent hope that the future generations of our maternal line will continue this time honored tradition so as to instill the same need in their children and their grandchildren and so forth.
When I first began my odyssey to discover and document my family history, the first person I turned to for information on my maternal line was Aunt Bev. She proved to be a deep well of valuable information providing names, dates, places, events, etc. If it were not for her amazing memory, and continued appreciation for my efforts to delve into answers behind family photos, and many documents that were uncovered during my research, I would have never been able to fulfill a promise made to her, which was her very own personal family history book. I was thrilled when my cousin Susan shared a picture with me on Facebook of her mom looking at her new book. Now, it is safely guarded at the home of the eldest child, Teena. I will always miss the phone calls, where I would either ask Bev a question, or update her on a new piece of family information I uncovered. I will also miss sending her cards, sometimes enclosing a fresh printed copy of an ancestral photo to share with Bev. She is at rest now. Her life's work is complete. She was a woman of many accomplishments. She made a difference in this world, and left her mark on each and everyone of us.