More Thoughts on Thanksgiving

Pumpkin Decoration, No I didn't make it.

Some more thoughts I have had about Thanksgiving how they are different from when I was a kid. 



Sweet Turkey, I forgot to have the kids take the lollipops



When I was a kid the adults all sat at one table and the kids sat at a card table in the living room.  Our house in New York had a formal dinning room and a kitchen.  Now we have all the generations sitting together.  Extra tables are pressed into service but they are in the living room, or here in Arizona out on the back porch or car port.

We use to sit and visit for a long time, now everyone has to run off and visit another family. 



Thanksgiving Decorations



I never remember my Mom having Thanksgiving decorations.  I have several favorite pieces.  On second thought she might have had one of those folded things that you unfold and it forms an item like a paper pumpkin, with a card board stem.  I can see a bell in my minds eye but I am not sure about Thanksgiving.  I don't have any old photos of Thanksgiving, so I can't say.  I guess they didn't like to stop visiting to take pictures any more than I like to stop visiting to take pictures. 

Click Here to see pictures of Thanksgiving present.

Grandma Hartmann in Minature

This is my Grandma Mary Jirak Hartmann, I never meet her but I have a letter from a great uncle that said she was a lot of fun and jovial. Here house was the favorite with all the nieces and nephews. I look at the two pictures of her and I see a family resemblance. She also reminds me of my Aunt Em. You can read more about her at the link.



These are pictures of me in 1949 so I was 1 and a 1/2 years old. Notice what my Dad said about me. Miniature Grandma Hartmann in all these poses - September
I am very curious of what he was thinking. Is it because I was so jovial in these pictures? Is it because I look like her? Is it the hat? Or is it because we share the same name? Or is it that one picture with a worried look?

Whatever the reason I can only imagine for now. Someday I'll know.

Treasure found

While organizing by Main Genealogy Binder yesterday I found these interesting sheets. I had mailed these off to a great uncle and he sent them back to me filled out!! This pedigree sheets and his family group sheet. This was probably in the late 70's early 80. I had forgotten I had them. There is also a six page stationary size letter. It has been fun re-reading it.

In his letter Ed states that as a kid he aways liked going to my Grandmother's Mary house because she was so jovial. She was also a hard work and worked in factories so my dad could go to college. You might remember in March I wrote a post about Grandmother's smile and twinkle in her eye. Here is another post where I wonder about her smile it kind of makes you wonder what she is thinking. Of course that hat is best.



This is a family group sheet with all my great uncle's kids listed. Some of them are my age, that is why I covered there birthdays and place of births up. So I'm going to try to find them. Ed's grand father is my Great Grandfather Joseph Jirak.

My one regret is that I didn't take advantage of this relative years ago. I just became too busy with my life. Now to play catch up. But better late than never.

One small step for me and my ancestors.

Ancestor Approved Award

Imagine my Surprise when I was in a boring meeting at work today and I check my home email on my blackberry and found a comment was posted on my blog. So I sneak on to my blog and I'm surprised again there is a second post. First Leah and then Cheryl both nominated me for the Ancestor Approved Award.
As recipient of this Ancestor Approved Award I must list ten things learned about my ancestors that have surprised, humbled, or enlightened me. The recipient then passes the award to ten other bloggers that are doing their Ancestors proud!

Here are my top ten things I have learned:
These are not in any particular order.

#1) Today before work I found some more information out about my Mom's (my second mother)parents. They are also the only grandparents I know. The surprise I learned is they had outlived my Mom, her Dad by 5 years to the ripe old age of 94, her mom by 9 years and made it all the way to 95. I don't remember hearing from my Dad when they had died. I know they didn't make it to the funeral, they lived in Nantucket Mass. and Mom died and was buried in Fort Lauderdale FL. In 1965 you didn't travel like we do today. They must have felt so helpless and so far away.

#2)Surprised that my great grandpa Joseph died of pneumonia secondary to exhaustion at the age of 69 in 1915. That's only 7 years older than I am now, so it hit close to home. Now a days he probably be treated and live longer.

#3)Humbled by my immigrant ancestors who traveled long voyages in cramped quarters, lived in poor conditions, such as tenements, did any kind of jobs to earn a living, wanted to be Americans, learned the language, told their kids they could have a better life. Pass on a good work ethic, believed there was no free lunch and if you wanted something you had to work for it, get an education, make something of yourself. This is evident by my father who was a second generation American had earned a college degree. The Tenement Museum looks very interesting.

#4) Humbled by my Grandmother Minnie Elizabeth who was a widow at the young age of 40, who had three children at home the youngest age 9 and worked to provide for her family.

#5) Humbled by my Great Grandfather Joseph who was a widower and at the age of 54 on the 1900 census had five kids at home, the youngest was 6 and the oldest was 17. That is hard on a man, I know because I saw how hard it was on my Dad when his wife died and he had 4 young kids at home from 16 to 6.

#6) Learned that my work ethic, stubbornest, worry wart behaviors and diligent natural come from a long line of people with the same characteristics.

#7) Wished I had know these people and the stories that went with them. Which means I need to share my stories with the next generation.

#8) Wished I had gotten into Genealogy when I was younger and still had some family around but I must admit I like doing so much research on the computer.

#9) I'm enlightened by the kind, supportive, encouraging genealogist I have meet at Family History Expo in Mesa and on line.

#10) Surprised at how addicting Genealogy and social networking are.

I am also suppose to pass this award on to 10 other bloggers. I'm going to have to do a little research on that to try and find a blog that hasn't received it yet. Just to share the wealth a little. So watch for a second post.

Just a coincidence!

I had to chuckle to my self when I went into New Family Search this morning and saw the name of this tab. I have not been to this site in years. I made up the name for my quilting blog, based on my first and middle name initials and added quilter. I have used that for years on my webshots album. So when I decided to start my Genealogy blog I started with me and added ancestors.

OK so maybe it is only something I can appreciate. I do like the look of mine better in all small letters.

What I did find is I have lots of updating to do. My poor pedigree chart on the site shows how little I knew about doing Genealogy when I submitted my four generation sheets ages ago. I guess the good thing is I have learned to be more accurate and precise. I guess I'll be updating stuff on the site.

The latest on Joseph

Maybe I should rename this post gratitude for the letter my Great Uncle Fred sent me. If I didn't have this letter I won't be able to connect the dots as well as I have. Thank You Uncle Fred for taking the time to write me.

No great finds yesterday at the Family History center but another connection. I found a 1912 Long Island City, New York Directory. On one page I found three Hartmanns, Fredrick a son and a conductor. Isn't it interesting that your occupation was listed in the city directory. Joseph liquors and Peter produce.
I did find another directory page for 1912 which was businesses only and I found Joseph Hartmann listed at the same address with the words liquors. I didn't make a copy since it was the same info just on another type of page.


Click to enlarge.
Now look at the information I have from Uncle Fred's letter. Joseph owned and operated a beer saloon at 710 Steinway Ave. The three sons worked for him and delivered beer to the employees of the renowned Steinway Piano Factory nearby. Fredrick later worked for the Third Ave Railway CO. The next paragraph talks about Pete, he would go to the market very early in the AM, purchase vegetables and such and then peddle them via horse and wagon to the public.

The more I think about it the more I think this was a pretty good find!!

One small step for me and my ancestors.

Maybe I Found a New Relative

Well he isn't really new, I knew he was out there, but I made a connection today. I was re-reading my great uncle Fred's letter. I have had this letter since 1978. When I first became interested in Genealogy I asked my Dad for some names to ask about the family and I wrote them letters asking questions. As tight lipped as my Dad was about his family, I'm kind of surprised he gave me any names. I really don't know this great uncle Fred but he graciously answered me. I regret that I didn't stay in touch but I went on a mission came home etc, etc.
Here is a picture of the letter, where he mentions my Great Grandpa Joseph, his sons and the oldest son Peter, his wife & children. Notice my old yellow highlighter.


Two Saturdays ago when I found my Great Grandpa Joseph on the 1900 census, & my grandfather George as a son. I notice right under my grandfather a Peter Hartmann. I wondered if this could have been the oldest son of Joseph and the brother to my grandfather. It could be very possible they lived right next to each other, Great Grandpa was a widower with small kids. A daughter-in-law right next door would have been a big help. So today I compared the census with the letter. My first reaction was it is a match but there are some questions, which means I must do more research. The wife is Barbara in both sources, both mention four kids. There is a slight variation in the names and sex of a couple of the kids. But how well does a nephew remember these details? The census has two girls and two boys, the letter 3 boys and 1 girls. The census names are Susan, Percival, Barbara & Peter. The letter names are Peter, Percy, Buster & Sue. I don't remember all my cousins names either but I haven't seen any of them since I was 11 and moved from New York to Florida.


My great grandfather is on the previous page, why couldn't they been on the same page?? There is no new house number for Peter but a new family number. Does that mean they were all in the same house?
I felt so close there for a minute and now I'm so not sure. More research is needed!!! More Census, more directories, more everything. Wish me luck.

One small set for me and my ancestors.

Happy Birthday to M.E.!!

Well this Blog is about ME and My Ancestors, so today it is my turn!! Today is my birthday. It has been a pleasant day with fun activities and time with family and friends. This evening I went to dinner with my husband and his sister and her husband. I mostly just wanted to post my birth announcement and a baby picture. I think what is so special about them is that my father saved them to give to me. I'm not sure if my mother had him save them or his sisters or who. The important thing is he saved them for me and I really appreciated that. The inside of the announcements have my mother's handwriting on them, the only sample of her writing I have.


On my 17th birthday, my Dad gave me roses and a little silver heart on a chain. He told me my Mom had him pick it out for me before she died. He told me he picked out the white roses because pink are for a girlfriend, red roses are for a wife but white roses are for a daughter. That is the most sentimental thing I can remember him saying to me. I know it was the only time he ever gave me flowers or jewelry.



This morning one of my friends and I went to the Arizona Historical Society Museum, there was suppose to be a needlework show but it was cancelled. Mary Ann and I decided to see the museum anyway. I had never been there before. It was a nice small museum well planned and thought out. I also like museum. As we were walking out I remembered another birthday and a day at a museum. On my 11th birthday I was able to pick the place I wanted to go, so I picked the Museum of Natural History in New York City. It still is my favorite museum. It was my last birthday in New York that June we moved to Fort Lauderdale Florida.

I never went to school on my birthday in New York because at that time they still had a separate birthday holiday for Lincoln and Washington. When I moved to Florida I had to go to school on my birthday, that was a disappointment.
Well here's hoping to a good year of finding out more about 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.