Surname Saturday: Hartmann

Do I seem a little focused on this name this week? Well that is because I'm examming the records I have with a fine tooth comb. I have found some errors I have made, because I didn't know better. Like I noticed I have 3 spellings of my Great Grandmother's last name, and I never listed her with an AKA (also known as). So, I'm meaning my evil ways. Thanks Heavens to the classes I took at the Family History Expo, I learned so much and I can move on armed with new knowledge, but I digress.
The information I have on my Great Grandparents came from a cousin of my Dad's cousin Fred. I never knew any of my Dad's cousin but somehow I wrote him out of the clear blue sky and he answered me. It's a two page single spaced typed letter. Tomorrow when I do some scanning I'm going to scan into my computer. There I go digressing again.
In a nut shell I know:
Joseph Hartmann born in Germany about 1865, New Info Sept 1845, Immigrated 1868, died in USA, most likely the NYC in 1915.
First wife was Susanne Neff, Naef, Naff, no dates and no places. Second wife was Kati Wyland or Wieland Maybe Whitenheim, who died in 1920s. He had six children, I guess with Susanne. New Info, all from Susanne.
Peter born about 1883
Fredrick about 1885 died 21 march 1930 wife Catherine P. Ashenbrenec
Emma born about 1887 died before 1919
William born about 1889 died 13, Jan 1954 wife Catherine
Helen born 1893 and died 1938
George Joseph my grandfather born 20 April 1891, Married to Mary Jirak on 29 Dec 1911in Long Island City, Queens, New York, USA. died 17 Nov 1943 Flushing , Queens, New York, USA.

As you can see I have a lot of research to do!!

Wordless Wednesday

My Parents

A Fun Story

On Sunday evening I was updating my family tree software adding the husband for our daughter Kierra. Kierra & Will were married on Oct 31st in Las Vegas, Nevada. So while I was in the program I decided to add Klint's wife Krystal. I mean they have been married for four years they should be linked up in my family tree. So I asked Krystal for some information about her and her parents. She gave me what she knew and she promise to find out more. The next morning when I went to my computer there was a note and a CD with 7 yes seven generations worth of family from Krystal's Dad. Hopefully as I work with her she will get interested in her family tree.

Hartmann's

Here is my dad, George J. Hartmann, Jr. on his wedding day. He use to tell me he gave me all his hair when I had long hair down to my waist when I was about 10. He had less hair when I was 10 then he did here.


Here is my Mother, Edith I Chaplin on her wedding day Oct 9th 1945. I have a picture of the two of them together but my scan is broke, so watch for it on another day.

Today I worked on checking all my information on my Dad & my Mother. It's funny what you never notice is missing. I just realized today I was missing the Christening dates on both my parents. Not something essential to identifying who they are but a nice to have.

It would be nice to have my mother's information because she was not raised Catholic and she did convert to Catholicism to marry my Dad. Or so the story goes.
I also learned more about my Legacy Family Tree software and that in turned taught me some things to fix on my parents.

My Dad's Birth Certificate has his last name spelled wrong, Hartman with one "N" instead of two. A problem I have dealt with all my life. So now he has a AKA note on him as does my mother. Her Birth Certificate has her as Edith Minnie Chaplin, but her marriage certificate has her as Edith I. Chaplin. My Aunt Bea told me she changed her middle name at some time in her life.

I made good notes and sited sources, since I have them. Boy that print is getting too small to read.

One small step for me and my ancestors

Family History Expo

After spending 2 full days at the Arizona Family History Expo my mind is buzzing and I can not get to sleep. The big topic this weekend was Genealogy Blogs and how they can help with searching for your ancestors. While I laid in bed trying to go to sleep my brain was telling me all the things I need to do. How much work my line needs and how much facts I have to clean up in my files. Most important the thought came to me how happy my ancestors would be if we were linked together. I had this picture of people before me and people after me all surrounding me, and of lines connecting us. I'm the pivotal point.


The biological truth is I'm the end of the line. I only have step children and they have no obligation to do my genealogy work. I have known for a long time that the buck stops here. I'm the first person in my family to want to do Genealogy and I will be the last, unless their is a miracle and one of my step kids wants to work on my genealogy. One can never tell there are miracles in the world.


I have dabbled for years. I started when I joined the LDS church in 1977. I asked my Dad some questions about my mothers and his parents. His reply was, "They are dead you don't need to know about them. All you need to know about your mothers is I would I have loved to be married to either one of them for all my life." My mother died 1 week before my first birthday, my mom died 1 week before my 17th birthday. More on them on another day. Then life was busy a mission, a move across country, a marriage, a divorce, another marriage, step kids, work, life. You know how it goes.


In fall of 2008 I attended my first Family Expo and was bitten again with the bug but still didn't really do any work on my stuff. In fall of 2009 I took an 12 week class at the Mesa Regional Family History Library (MRFHL). I'm getting warmer. I started taking classes because I'm hoping to retire next year and I want to gear up to do more research. Then this weekend another expo and right now I feel on fire. I just hope the fire doesn't burn out, I hope it stays constant.


I'm setting goals to help.
Sunday afternoon work on cleaning up the information I now have.
Thursdays take the British Isle training class for 8 weeks.
After class go to the MRFHL one night a week.
Blog and check out blogs to learn new stuff
Join a message board and a mailing list.


I feel better now, and I should be able to sleep now, I have started. One small step for me and my ancestors.