Top 10 Genealogical Finds of 2019

Photo by Pierce Place

It’s been a very quiet year here and I've sort of lost my 'steam'.  But now that I've retired (yes, RETIRED!) my goal in 2020 is to spend more time researching and organizing what I learn.  Sometimes it takes me some time to sit down in front of the computer but once I do, the hours just fly by!

So as 2019 comes to a close, I’ll step back and reflect on what I’ve learned over the past year.  So in my best David Letterman voice, I bring you my annual Top 10 genealogical finds of 2019.  You can read my previous years’ discoveries here (formatting isn't working right and I don't have the patience right now to fix it).
2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012.5 2012 2011

Number 10:  I find I enjoy writing about my own memories as much (or more) than anything so I may find myself concentrating more on that in 2020.  It was especially fun to remember our times at Family Camp which I wrote about HERE.

Number 9:  The blog prompt of Bachelor Uncle caused me to research my grandmother's cousin (once removed), Hyman Steen.  I'd read a lot about Hymie in the letters my grandmother wrote to my grandfather so it was fun to get to 'know' him better.

Number 8:  Independence Day brought the prompt INDEPENDENT which prompted (get it?) me to write about Nathan Waller, the brother of my 5x great grandfather.  Not only was Nathan documented by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) as a Revolutionary Patriot, he has his own Wikipedia Page!

Number 7:  I love old newspapers!  There is scads (my grandmother's favorite word) of information that helps us to learn about the every day life of our ancestors.  I know that sometimes information pops up that we'd rather not know (there's a black sheep in every family) but, for the most part, it really brings our ancestors to life.  I still haven't figured out the details of the address of my 2x great grandfather's home in Santa Cruz but I haven't given up hope.  In the Paper

Number 6:  We were not a terribly religious household but the one constant we had was our Rabbi, Joseph Gitin.  I was happy to be able to share my memories of not only Rabbi Gitin, but our Temple, as well.  At Worship.

Rabbi Joseph Gitin
photo courtesy of SJ Mercury News

Number 5:  Until I wrote the post for the FIRST prompt,  I hadn't really thought about how few of us actually have our ancestors documented in the first United States Census in 1790.  I had two ancestors enumerated from my mother's line, Ashbel Waller and Daniel Martin.

Number 4:  I was fortunate to have a close relationship with both sets of grandparents.  Although now that I type that, it reminds me that I actually had three sets of grandparents so I guess it was really close relationships with two out of three.  My maternal grandmother, Clara (Fitzgerald) Martin Hunter, was always so happy to see us and seemed to love to spend time with us.  For the prompt LOVE I wrote about the 'artwork' I gave her that she saved throughout her life.

Debi Levy and Clara (Fitzgerald) Hunter, 1957
Photo bombed by unknown cowboy

Number 3:  I typically think of BRICK WALL as a person but for this prompt I thought about brick wall photographs.  Because of this, I think I may have found a photo of my 2x great grandfather, Ferdinand Gunzendorfer, from his younger days.  I know the older gentleman is Ferdinand, but is the younger man?  What do you think?

Number 2:  Something seemed OUT OF PLACE with the final resting place of my 2x great grandfather, Louis Schwartz, in Oakland, California.  While I was fortunate enough to visit his grave in person, there were several newspaper articles (see why I love newspapers?) stating that after his death, his body had been returned to Santa Cruz for burial.  I did write to the cemetery asking for specifics about his internment and the answer I received was:

Our records show that Louis Schwartz is buried in Plot 101, Grave 2 date of death May 23, 1893. Rebecca Schwartz is buried in Plot 101 Grave 1 date of death January 7, 1918 and she died in Oakland. I have no information on Mark Schwartz and do not show him as being buried in Home of Eternity. That is all the information we have sorry could not be of more help.

So that tells me that he IS interred there but doesn't help me understand if he was originally interred in Santa Cruz and then relocated to Oakland.  Unfortunately, some questions are always left unanswered.

Number 1:  I've been fortunate to have so many ancestors who lived their lives in just one or two places so there is a lot of history in those places.  Fresno was the home of MANY of my ancestors - my parents were both born and raised there and, in fact, went to high school together.  My paternal grandfather and both maternal grandparents were also born there.  (Side note: my paternal grandfather, Sig Levy, was technically born in Vallejo but his mother was just visiting from Fresno when he was born).  There is so much family history in Fresno and I have so much historical data tucked away.  Remember, my grandparents saved EVERYTHING and just about everything they saved I am now saving.  I really want to get this organized and donated to the Fresno Historical Society so that might be where I focus my time in 2020.

A few years ago I wrote about the HOME MY FATHER GREW UP IN at 1549 Echo Avenue in Fresno.  Not only do I have memories of that house, but even my oldest daughter who spent some time there, as well.  I can still visualize (my dad's word) so many details of that house.

What a surprise when I learned that Jeannine Raymond (www.jeannineraymond.com), has researched the Wilson Island Historical District in Fresno and MY GRANDPARENTS' HOME WAS ONE OF THE SHORT STORIES IN 2019.  And where do you think she got most of her information?  Yes, that's right - ME!  She actually used my original blog post on her website.  You can read it HERE.  I was so honored to have been included in this history.  (And for my family who heard Dad say "I feel like Henry Korn", you can find the story of the Korn home HERE.)

A pretty quiet year but I'm looking forward to new discoveries in 2020!

52 Ancestors: Craft

I've been out of the blogging mode for a few weeks and thus, my brain is a little foggy and out of practice so I'll start back simple this week.

I've written before about my paternal grandmother, Mildred Loraine (Gunzendorfer) Levy, being crafty.  Which as anyone who knew her can attest to, she NEVER came across as crafty and until a few years before her death, I had no idea she ever worked with her hands.  I wrote about it HERE.

Apparently, there were a few of my maternal ancestors who were crafty - my great grandmother, Mabel (McAboy) Fitzgerald and her mother, Rebecca (Waller) McAboy.  Their craft of choice was quilting!  I am always in awe when I see hand made quilts and while I don't have that gene in my body, I'm proud to be the owner of some of their quilts.

I am nearly positive that this quilt was crafted by my maternal great grandmother, Mabel Viola (McAboy) Fitzgerald.  Mabel was alive until I was almost 12 years old and I remember her quite clearly.  She was the type of grandmother children would be thrilled to know- interested in what we were doing, patient, and loving.  I can remember many a day being sick on the couch covered by this quilt.  I'm sure I knew that it was crafted by my great grandmother and could feel her arms wrapped around me, instantly making me feel better.

Handmade by Mabel Viola (McAboy) Fitzgerald

Mabel Viola (McAboy) Fitzgerald

I'm not nearly as confident but I think this was also Mabel's handiwork.

I can't imagine the endless hours spent putting these two quilts together.

The quilting gene must have been passed down to her from her mother, Rebecca Mariah (Waller) McAboy.  Rebecca was the daughter of my favorite ancestor, Emery Waller.  While I've not seen a photo of Emery, I can almost visualize (my dad's favorite expression) him when I look into Rebecca's eyes.  And thanks again to my cousin, Kris, for sharing this photo with me!

Rebecca Moriah (Waller) McAboy
c. 1920

In 2012, we cleaned out the storage unit where my parents had been storing things for 30 years, never to see the light of day.  I was amazed that these quilts were in such great condition considering they'd just been thrown into a cardboard box.  Fortunately my mother was still living and she was able to tell me "I think these were made by Mabel's mother, Rebecca".  So I have no confirmation but I just have to believe Mabel's craft gene was passed down from her mother.  Once I got the quilts home I took them to the dry cleaners and since I've had them home, I have not wanted to take them out of the plastic bags.  I know it's not the best preservation method but it's much better than a cardboard box!

I've done some crafting over the years but these days, I've all but given it up.  Sadly, the quilting gene has died in our family as none of us ever got the bug.