Struggling...

I've been struggling with my feelings about a family website I belong to.  I've been using Ancestry.com for a few years now and have been building my tree there.  Unfortunately I no longer have a paid subscription, so the sources I have through Ancestry are not available to me.  Anyway, I posted a picture of my great-great grandparents Solomon Turpin Abrams and Louisa Edmonds Gadd which had been sent to me by a cousin of my grandfather.  This cousin got REALLY upset that the picture was posted on Ancestry without her permission.  She wrote a post on the family website letting everyone know how unhappy she was.  Other members of the website chimed in about how people on Ancestry were "pirating" information from others and posting it as their own.  They stated specific names that they had "mentioned" to others that showed up on Ancestry.  They assumed that the people who posted information on Ancestry didn't do any research of their own.  It seemed to me that they thought they were the only ones who'd done any research on this particular branch of my family.

I took the picture off my Ancestry site and posted an apology for posting it without permission.  I owed my cousin that much.  I also had to answer the accusations against people who use Ancestry.  I realize not everyone who uses Ancestry is able to do research outside what they can find on Ancestry, but there are those of us who have done other research.  I live in Fort Worth and there is a wonderful genealogy department at the local library.  I've spent hours there looking at census records and books about the counties where my ancestors lived.  I've tried keeping my tree on my home computer and ended up losing my information more than once because of hard drive crashes.  Even with back-ups, the genealogy program I was using, failed me.  I was using the Millenium Edition of Generations.  If I try to edit a person in that program, it erases the person completely from my file.  I was able to save a GEDCOM file from this program, but I still lost information.  :-( 

Anyway, I explained in my post that the main reason I use Ancestry is to keep from losing my information again.  I also let them know that I don't hold my tree as the final word on ANY of my families.  I have in no way completed my research and I don't represent my tree as being 100 percent accurate.  I have plenty of names on my tree which I've not researched.  The way the others talked, no one should put any names in their tree without doing exhaustive research and making sure the tree is 100 percent accurate.  They also assume anyone who has a name in their tree without any sources is "pirating" information from them.  I've seen the names they were talking about on familysearch.org and other websites.  It really upset me!  Maybe I'm taking it too personally... I don't know.  The only replies to my post talked about using CD's and flash drives to save my data.  No one ever addressed the fact that I apologized or my comments about the "pirating".  Am I wrong for being upset?  I've tried to blow it off, but for some reason it just keeps eating at me.  In fact, I was so upset at one point that I almost took my whole tree off Ancestry.  I'm glad I didn't.  I have had distant cousins contact me to share information because of my tree being posted on Ancestry.  I've gotten close to a couple of them.

I'm not opposed to constructive comments or a personal email telling me I was wrong for posting a picture without permission.  I think I was hurt the most because it felt like a public bashing.  I didn't even get a private acceptance of my apology....

I'm finished ranting now.  If anyone can help me sort out my feelings or has any suggestions about what, if anything, I should do please let me know.

My Husband's Blog

I just wanted to plug my husband's blog.  He's a Ford Mustang enthusiast and we have a 1995 GTS that he is going to restore.  It's a long term project, but if you're into cars you'll enjoy the posts.  His blog is http://www.mustang-fever.blogspot.com/.  Enjoy!!!

SNGF - Ahnentafel Roulette

Randy @ Genea-Musings has come up with another great Saturday Night Genealogy Fun.

1) How old is your father now, or how old would he be if he had lived?  Divide this number by 4 and round the number off to a whole number.  This is your "roulette number".

2) Use your pedigree charts or your family tree genealogy software program to find the person with that number in your ahnentafel.  Who is that person?

3) Tell us three facts about that person with the "roulette number".

4) Write about it in a blog post, in a Facebook note or comment, or as a comment on this blog post.

5) If you do not have a person's name for your "roulette number" then spin the wheel again - pick your mother, or yourself, a favorite aunt or cousin, or even your children.

Here goes!

My dad, Thomas Edwin Gamble, is 66.  Divide that by 4 and you get 16.5 so that rounds to 17.  Number 17 in my ahnentafel is my great-great grandmother Elizabeth Ann Wrean.  She was born in 1829 in Nova Scotia, Canada.  She married William N. Gamble about 1851 in Pennsylvania.  They had 6 children, the youngest being my great grandfather Ulysses Grant Gamble.  She died in 1911 in Cedar Run, Lycoming Co., Pennsylvania.

I don't know anything else about her except her father was born in Scottland and her mother's first name was Minnie.  Unfortunately, I don't have any photographs of her either, at least not that I know of.  I have a whole bunch of unidentified photos on DVD that my uncle gave me.

Thanks for the great blog topic tonight, Randy!

Tombstone Tuesday-William F and Flossie Baker Abrams

William Franklin Abrams

and

Flossie Baker Abrams

These were my maternal grandfather's parents. William Franklin Abrams was born 31 Dec 1887 to Solomon Turpin Abrams and Louisa Edmonds Gadd Abrams in Jackson Co., KY. He married Flossie Baker about 1910. He died 29 Feb 1968 in Franklin, OH.

Flossie Baker was born 7 Aug 1896 to William Houston Baker and Mahaley Jane Malicoat in KY. She died 10 Aug 1982 in Middletown, Butler Co., OH.

I was not quite 3 when William died so I don't remember him. I only remember meeting Flossie once in 1979.

I got this photo from http://www.findagrave.com/ . If you've never been to their website, you should go. I've found pictures of some of my ancestors' tombstones there. If there is not a picture of the tombstone, you can sometimes find the name of the cemetery where your ancestors are buried.

Tombstone Tuesday: Emil E Mosch & Wilhelmina Kortz Mosch

My recently found cousin Carolyn Mosch Busch sent me some tombstone pictures that she took when she went to Pennsylvania this summer. The resolution is wonderful! Carolyn contacted me on Ancestry.com. I was so excited to talk to someone from my dad's side of the family, especially the Mosch side. I don't recall meeting any of them in person except my great grandmother Hertha Mosch McElroy. I might have seen them at my grandmother's house at Thanksgiving, but there were always so many people there! Besides, when you're a kid you just want to hang out with your cousins that you don't get to see any other time.

Anyway, Emil Ernest Mosch was born 8 May 1864 to Karl Herman Mosch and Caroline Scheider in Saxony, Germany. The family came to the U.S. in 1870. (I still have lots of research to do on this family, but I did find out they came over on the ship the Saint Louis. I understand it was lost at sea on it's way back to Germany after my ancestors got off. I'm going to have to find the history of the ship!) Emil died of cancer on 25 Oct 1937 in Coudersport, Potter Co., PA.

Emil married Wilhelmina in Wellsboro, Tioga Co., PA on 21 Sep 1885. They lived in PA for the remainder of their lives.

Wilhelmina Hedwig Kortz was born 27 Apr 1866 in Germania, Potter Co., PA to Jacob Kortz and Katherine Pflugfelder. Her parents came to the U.S. in the 1840's or 50's to escape the Kaiser's war. I don't have any information on the ship they were on. Wilhelmina died on 12 Feb 1940 in Coudersport, Potter Co., PA.

Thanks again for the pictures, Carolyn!

Amanuensis Monday: Mosch - McElroy Wedding 1916

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

My Uncle Paul spent a couple of years scanning my paternal grandmother's photographs and scrapbooks. She has apparently inherited her mother's photos and scrapbooks as well. My Uncle ended up with a 7 DVD set of over 6000 images which he copied for several members of the family. I was one of the lucky ones to receive a copy of these images.

My post tonight is a copy of my great grandparents' wedding announcement. Unfortunately, no one wrote down which newspaper the announcement was in. The wedding occurred on 21 Sep 1916. The announcement was published on the same day.

THEY ARE WED

Miss Hertha Mosch and Egbert McElroy of Jersey Shore United in Marriage

At eleven o'clock this morning at the home of the bride occurred the marriage of Miss Hertha Mosch, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Emil Mosch of Frinks to Egbert McElroy of Jersey Shore. The mother of the bridegroom and his brother and the immediate family of the bride were the only guests.

The ceremony was performed by Rev. J. V. Sappenfield of St. Paul's Lutheran church. A profusion of asters, golden rod and growing plants decorated the rooms and the bride was attended by her cousin, Miss Emma Mosch, of Germania, while Williams McElroy of Ceres, brother of the bridegroom acted as the best man. Miss Mosch was attired in a handsome traveling suit of dark blue and her maid of honor wore a gown of pink.

Little Margaret, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Metzger of Colesburg, and Marie, little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T. L. Metzger of Coudersport were the flower girls.

After hearty congratulation and many good wishes a delicious wedding breakfast was served and Mr. and Mrs. McElroy departed for a brief wedding trip that will include Elmira, Rochester and other New York points. They will be absent about a week, after which they will be at home to their friends in Jersey Shore.

Mrs. McElroy is one of Potter county's finest and most capable young women. She has hosts of friends and is deserving of the very best in life.

The day had a double meaning in the Mosch home for it was not only the wedding day of their daughter, but as well the 31st anniversary of the wedding day of Mr. and Mrs. Mosch, parents of the bride.

Guest at the wedding were Mr. and Mrs. I. L. Coats, William McElroy, Mrs. VanMadison and four children, of Ceres, N. Y.; Mr. and Mrs. Robert McElroy, of Myrtle; Mr. and Mrs. M. J. Handwerk and daughter Helene of Galeton; Mrs. Louise Sheldon , of Hebron; Mr. and Mrs. T. L. Metzger, of Coudersport; Mrs. Lewis Webber and Mr. and Mrs. Edward Tucker, of Colesburg; Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Metzger, of Colesburg; Miss Emma Mosch of Germania; Rev. and Mrs J. V. Sappenfield, of Coudersport; Miss Esther Niles and Miss Katherine Stocum of Coudersport.

This article is such a treasure! It gives so much genealogical information! Since I have a copy of the marriage license for Hertha and Egbert, I know they were wed on 21 Sep 1916. The article tells me that day was also the 31st anniversary of Hertha's parents, which makes their wedding date 21 Sep 1885. It also tells me the wedding took place at the home of the bride and gives a detailed description of the bride's attire. She did not wear a white dress, but a dark blue traveling suit! That is priceless information since there are not any photos of the wedding in all of the photos I received from Uncle Paul.

I also have more surnames to search. I know Mrs. I. L. Coats is the mother of the bridegroom from the information I have on his family, but I don't know what I. L. stands for. Since the article said the only guests were immediate family of the bride, the other names are of sisters and their husbands, presumably. Like I said, I have more names to research to find out exactly who these people were.

I hope I can find more articles like this for other members of my family. I know there isn't one for me or my parents, but I'm sure there are bound to be announcements for some more of the older generations.

My 16 Great-Great Grandparents

I decided to take on Randy Seaver's challenge for Saturday Night Genealogical Fun. I am a bit late since it is almost Sunday night, but what the heck! Here are my 16 Great-great grandparents.

1. William N. Gamble b. 24 May 1825 in Cedar Run, Lycoming Co., PA m. Elizabeth Ann Wrean abt. 1851 d. 24 Sep 1904 in Leetonia, Lycoming Co., PA (2nd Generation American)

2. Elizabeth Ann Wrean b. 1829 Nova Scotia, Canada m. William N. Gamble abt. 1851 d. abt 1911 Cedar Run, Lycoming Co., PA (Canadian)

3. William Snyder b. 28 Mar 1851 in Blackwell, Morris Twp, Tioga Co., PA m. Laura Campbell abt 1874 d. 5 Nov 1927 Jersey Shore, Lycoming Co., PA (American)

4. Laura Campbell b. 20 May 1857 in Cedar Run, Lycoming Co., PA m. William Snyder abt. 1874 d. 18 Apr 1931 in Jersey Shore, Lycoming Co., PA (American)

5. James Clinton McElroy b. 19 Nov 1861 in New York m. Angie Clark in 1884 d. 1905 in New York? (American)

6. Angie Clark b. 1866 in PA m. James Clinton McElroy in 1884 d. 20 Jul 1946 (American)

7. Emil Mosch b. 8 May 1864 in Saxony, Germany m. Wilhelmina Hedwig Kortz 21 Sep 1885 in Wellsboro, Tiogo Co., PA d. 25 Oct 1937 in Coudersport, Potter Co., PA (German)

8. Wilhelmina Hedwig Kortz b. 27 Apr 1866 Germania, Potter Co., PA m. Emil Mosch 21 Sep 1885 in Wellsboro, Tioga Co., PA d. 12 Feb 1940 in Coudersport, Potter Co., PA (1st Generation American)

9. Solomon Turpin Abrams b. 22 Feb 1845 in Jackson Co., KY m. Louisa Edmonds 17 Mar 1887 in Jackson Co., KY d. 9 Mar 1923 in Jackson Co., KY (American)

10. Louisa Edmonds b. 2 Oct 1862 in TN m. Solomon Turpin Abrams 17 Mar 1887 in Jackson Co., KY d. 10 Jun 1947 in Jackson Co., KY (American)

11. William Houston Baker b. 1866 in Terra Houte, IN m. Mahaley Jane Malicoat d. 30 Jan 1919 in Three Links, KY (American)

12. Mahaley Jane "Jennie" Malicoat b. 1865 in Jackson Hollow, Madison Co., KY m. William Houston Baker d. 1900 in KY (American)

13. James Marshall Helton b. 10 Jan 1871 in Valeria, Wolfe Co., KY m. Sarah Elizabeth Peck 15 Nov 1892 in Menifee Co., KY d. Jul 1944 in Ezel, Morgan Co., KY (American)

14. Sarah Elizabeth Peck b. 24 Oct 1871 Wolfe Co., KY m. James Marshall Helton 15 Nov 1892 in Menifee Co., KY d. 1 Jan 1914 in Menifee Co., KY (American)

15. William Jackson Landrum b. Jan 1869 in Wolfe Co., KY m. Sarah Ella Lackey 1891 in Wolfe Co., KY d. 14 Jun 1943 (American)

16. Sarah Ella Lackey b Apr 1871 Wolfe Co., KY m. William Jackson Landrum 1891 in Wolfe Co., KY d. 6 Aug 1903 in Powell Co., KY (American)

Most of my ancestors of this generation were born in the USA and with some I'd have to go back several generations to find an immigrant. This was a fun exersize. I learned I need to do more research on this generation to find marriage dates, etc. Thanks,Randy for the suggestion.

Last Saturday at the Library

I was fortunate to be able to go to the Fort Worth Public Library on Saturday and listen to my first genealogy lecture. Terry Meeks of the Fort Worth Genealogical Society was the presenter. I truly enjoyed Terry's presentation about using military records as sources for research. I have at least 1 Revolutionary War veteran and several Civil War veterans in my tree. Thanks to the lecture, I know where to start searching for information on these ancestors! I'm so glad I live near a large public library with a great genealogy department. :-) I can't wait to go back and do some research!

Wordless Wednesday: Gravesite of Edwin D Gamble

Tombstone Tuesday - Oscar and Maud Helton

I took this picture when I went to Florida to visit my grandparents. Oscar Marion Helton and Maud Landrum were my maternal grandmother's parents. He was born on 23 Jan 1894 in Pomeroyton, Menifee, Kentucky to James Marshall Helton and Sarah Elizabeth Peck. She was born on 17 Feb 1897 in Toliver, Wolfe, Kentucky to William Jackson Landrum and Sarah Ella Lackey. They both died in Plant City, Florida. He died 4 Feb 1968 when I was about 3. She died 17 Jan 1991. I remember going to her house for Thanksgiving dinner when I was a kid. She was an awesome cook.

The house they lived in is gone now. I'm trying to find a picture of it for my records. I didn't see any when I was looking through my grandmother's photo albums.