Tag Archives: genealogy

Football Season (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4 Navy 133
Nov. 17, 1943

Dear Mother,

Your V-mail of Oct. 19, came today. It was a little old but I read it just the same. When an old letter does come it doesn’t have the kick that a late one has but they are appreciated just the same. There are a few from Oct. 10 to Oct. 20 still missing but no doubt they will be dropping in sooner or later. Also got a letter from Lentz. I had a chance to see him not long ago and he dropped me a line just to let me know how he was making out at the present time. He never did work very hard and from what I gather from his letter he is still the same.

It’s hard to realize that its football season is here or I should say almost gone. I imagine Jim got as much kick out of the football game and the hot dogs as the boys did. Mark of course would get the biggest kick of all. So Jim’s appetite hasn’t slowed down? He should try Spam, etc., for some time. If he still goes good after that he really is something. I ate so little for so long that a big meal now makes me feel all stuffed up so I just don’t eat so much but I think I’ve gained back a

[page 2] little but I didn’t take off much to start with. Just a day or two ago I weighed exactly what I did when I joined the Navy so I’m not doing so badly but I had last year about this time, gained about 15 pounds.

My regular schedule of writing to you may be broken again in a day or two but the address will be the same so think nothing of it if the letters are slow in coming to you. I’ll write as often as possible.

Another Dr. & I took a long walk this p.m. just to see the countryside and it really is beautiful. It seems to me the green of the growing vegetation here is much more vivid than at home. Maybe there is more of it. I mean less cultivated spaces and the land is more hilly or I should say mountainous and possibly the point of view is what brings out the various shades. I wish I could describe things more minutely but that isn’t possible so it’s only general descriptive terms and those don’t help in painting a word picture.

It’s bed time and good nite time so
Lots of Love
Daddy

New_Zealand_Cities

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/06/18/football-season-roscoe/

Monthly Update – June 17, 2005

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This last month has been an absolute whirlwind. I don’t know exactly where to start. I have done so many wonderful genealogy related things.

Dear Mother, Love Daddy

Dear Mother, Love Daddy coverI have sent out several copies of the book for review in the last month. I will keep everyone posted when the reviews are published. Additionally, I gave away quite a few copies at Jamboree in Burbank. Hopefully, word of mouth will help increase the book’s readership. The Los Angeles County Library now has a copy of the book. I am not sure if it will be part of their circulating collection however. If not, it will be housed in their genealogy department. The copy that I donated to the Sacramento Public Library system is now being processed. It appears in the online catalog, but it is not yet available for check-out. Pardon me for being a little bit of a book geek, but my book has a call number! 949.7022

Library catalog screen shot

Dear Mother, Love Daddy is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble online. If you live in the Sacramento area, Trent’s Bookshelf in Elk Grove also has copies available for sale.

Professional Learning = Jamboree

File Jun 17, 1 09 22 PMThe biggest, best and most amazing part of the last month was Jamboree. In case you don’t know what it is, Jamboree is a genealogy conference put on every year by the Southern California Genealogical Society in Burbank. This is a national level conference. Genealogists and speakers from around the country attend Jamboree. I was extremely impressed by the caliber of speakers, the organization of the event, and the dedication of all the volunteers who made the conference a pleasure to attend.

The exhibit hall was filled with booths sponsored by Ancestry, Roots Magic, ISOGG, you name it! One of my favorite booths was NEHGS. They had a vast supply of many of their current publications. I was very good and didn’t buy anything. Everyone was very friendly and willing to share information.

I stayed for the whole conference including the added DNA day. I attended two workshops: Judy G. Russell‘s Order in the Court and Dr. Thomas W. Jones‘ Documenting a Respectable Family History. As well as the two workshops, I attended twelve one-hour lectures over the course of three days. My head was spinning from all the great new resources I have to explore (now that I am home). I have done very little research on my ancestors on the other side of the pond so I was very interested to listen to Michael Brophy‘s sessions on Irish genealogy and Michael D. Lacopo‘s sessions on German genealogy. On the DNA day, I was wowed by CeCe Moore‘s sessions on using DNA to help adoptees. It was also a pleasure to finally see Blaine Bettinger speak in person. I loved his session on using pop culture to teach DNA. Think Game of Thrones with the Baratheons and Lannisters.

In addition to all the knowledge I obtained, I was able to finally meet some of my colleagues and fellow bloggers in person. What a thrill! I attended a meet-up with fellow ProGen alumni as well as connected with Geneabloggers and the NextGen genealogy network. Some of the amazing people I was able to meet and hang out with were:

Blaine T. Bettinger, PhD, JD, fellow ProGen 21 group alumnus
Melanie Frick, a fellow BU certificate holder and NextGen genealogy founder
Thomas MacEntee, leader of Geneabloggers and all-around genealogy go-to guy
Jacqi Stevens
Jill Morelli
Linda Harms Okazaki
Sheri Fenley
Elizabeth O’Neal
Kim Cotton
Laurie Desmarais

Several of the above blogged about their time at Jamboree so if you want a different perspective, check out their blogs!

If you missed Jamboree, many of the sessions were recorded and are available for free until July. Other sessions are available for a fee.

File Jun 17, 12 28 07 PM

My conference ribbons!

Local News

The San Joaquin Genealogy Society will be featuring a half day seminar with genealogist Gena Philibert Ortega on July 14th at the Stockton public library. The seminar is free but registration is required through eventbrite.

Discovering Your Past

The biggest news of the month is that I am now the “expert” genealogist for a new show called Discovering Your Past. My friend Dan Young is the host, and the show is produced by Access Nashua. We had our first recording session this morning via Skype. A couple weeks ago I sent Dan out on a genealogy mission. While doing research for my family narrative about Nathaniel Hobart of Holbrook, Massachusetts, I realized that one of his grandchildren had moved to Nashua, New Hampshire. And that’s when Dan entered the picture! He was able to do some on-the-ground research for me. We have been talking about the show for several months now and it is finally becoming a reality. The first episode (which should premiere this weekend on YouTube) features an interview with me about the book Dear Mother, Love Daddy as well as Dan’s adventures answering my genealogy question. I will post an update this weekend when the link goes live.

Miscellanous

Me with my ancestor Capt. Finney Leach at Burial Hill, Plymouth.

Me with my ancestor Capt. Finney Leach at Burial Hill, Plymouth.

The New England Historical and Genealogical Society has a feature in their weekly newsletter titled Ask a Genealogist. A perk of being a member is being able to ask the staff questions. And yes, even professional genealogists have questions! NEHGS won’t do specific research (you can hire them for that!) for you but if you are looking to find information, they can steer you in the right direction. I recently submitted a question about finding information on 19th century sailing vessels. My ancestor Capt. Finney Leach was a ship’s captain stationed in Plymouth, Massachusetts. I wanted to know where to find information on his vessels and his naval service during the War of 1812. My question was chosen for their weekly newsletter (although I remain anonymous). You can read Rhonda McClure’s answer here.

Before I left for Jamboree, I received my ProGen certificate in the mail. You can find me on the alumni page under ProGen21.

©2015 written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/06/17/monthly-update-june-17-2005/ ‎

Brooder House (Gladys)

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Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Nov. 17 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

No letters for a few days – the last being of Nov. 4. It is windy and cold today. The sun is shining but I haven’t been out. After the throat & sinus treatment of yesterday thought I had better stay out of the wind. My eyes are normal again after the refraction yesterday. I am to go Fri. (19th) for recheck and another nose & throat treatment.

The Zells went to Indpls. today. Clara M. is there today working and got lunch for the girls, but they are coming here to spend the night. C. Shirk is going to take care of the brooder house stove this eve.

[page 2] It won’t be long until they will have frys to sell. They want to have them all sold by Christmas so they can go home for the holidays. The brooder house is situated so I can see the chickens from the dining room windows – John says he doesn’t care so much for them because he can taste the cod liver oil. The mash they eat is highly treated with cod liver oil. However I notice he usually eats his share when we have “hot house” chicken. There was an announcement over the radio this a.m. that farmers can butcher and sell pork without a permit to get the present supply taken care of. There is at present more than the markets can handle so I am going to try & get a hog or half to put in the locker – Portteus promised me half of one they

[page 3] were to butcher but they haven’t mentioned it recently so may have disposed of it. As yet the locker that was to be built here hasn’t gotten thru Washington yet. I owe Brand’s our present rent but didn’t want to pay a whole year if Kent’s locker will be ready soon – but it won’t be soon if the plans have to wait in Washington for approval.

I am to go to Mark’s room tomorrow to help teach the children to knit. Mark wanted me to start him last night but my vision on close work was still too blurred. Buddy had a birthday yesterday & I forgot to get him a gift so must get a “doghouse” card and a gift for Mark to take to him this evening. Buddy asked Mark to dinner tonight. He wanted to have him last night but

[page 4] they were busy in the restaurant and didn’t get around to it. They are closed from 11 to 3 p.m. & then they are usually swamped. I suppose the people who used to eat lunch at noon just wait till evening and eat an early dinner.

The wind today is blowing any loose leaves around. They cling to places like our terrace in the back. I left leaves around the shrubbery and they seem to be staying put. David is in the nursery in the play pen. He jabbers so much and manages a few words. He can say kitty, wave & say bye-bye. Has said Dada & mom mom for a long time. Has another tooth almost thru. When left alone can be good for quite a while but if he sees me wants attention.

J. & M. both fine too.

Love Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/06/17/brooder-house-gladys/

Eye Exam (Gladys)

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1943-11-16 (GRY)Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
11-16-43

Dear Daddy – Have been to Laf. today to see Dr. Ade. Had my eyes examined and he treated my nose & throat – I am still spitting. My sinus seems to be a vulnerable spot and the drainage keeps my throat irritated. My tonsils are not so good either. I am to go back Fri. for another treatment & have my eyes checked. My eyes are still blurred from the exam today. I should have written this before I went to Dr. A. It was very cold in Laf. today. My suit & top coat felt very warm & comfortable. I tried to keep out of the cold after my treatment. Alma went with me. Arlene had talked about going but then didn’t – It’s a good thing she didn’t go to see Dr. Cole – he is away at present. I think he has gone to see Don. I had intended to go see him – I had never talked to him since Mother died and wanted to get the autopsy report, but learned downtown that he was away so didn’t make the trip out to his office. Mrs. Zell stayed here with David while I went to Laf. this afternoon. The Zell girls are going to stay here tomorrow night while Zells are gone. I must quit writing – It’s too hard on my eyes.

Love Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/06/15/eye-exam-gladys/

Mail Call (Roscoe)

4 Replies

 

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4
Navy 133, F.P.O. San Fran Calif.
Nov. 15, 1943

Dear Mother,

It’s fun to be a foreigner and see people in their native surroundings. Of course, this isn’t the first time for we were also foreigners to those natives we used to treat and write about but I mean civilized people just like ourselves. Their expressions and manners are different and very noticeable, for example, while walking down the sidewalk – instinctively I want to pass to their right – results a few near head in smash up. It isn’t bad walking for a quick step and things are OK but I can see where driving a car might be dangerous. However, that is one thing which won’t bother because chances for driving around these parts are very few.

I can really see how much fun someone would have if they came from a foreign country and landed in the middle of one of our towns. Our peculiar habits and money would be a joke to them so it all adds up to the same thing and it’s still fun. Depending on which side you are on and the circumstances prevailing.

Some time later – I just had a hunch some mail might come in for me today and sure enough it did. Your v-mails of 16, 24 & 26 came as well as air mails of 21, 23 & 25 so now all your letters from Oct. 10 to 16

[page 2] are missing. You gave me a few details of your mother but most of them are missing and of course as yet no cablegram from the Red Cross.

What I’m interested in now is the finances. You probably have written that also and all will come in due time. I’m glad that you could spend a few days with the folks and see all the “kin” folk round about. You didn’t mention anything about Floyd being reclassified so I’ve wondered, since some time ago, I got the word that he thought he was going to be, and I suppose Paul & Earl are pretty well out of it by now.

Then there is another thing I’ve wondered about – and that is the amount of gasoline you are able to get. That car must be giving pretty good mileage or else you are getting more than I supposed. Perhaps you were able to get a little more due to illness or does it work that way? I’m really glad that you can use it because it would really be a handicap if you didn’t have it.

Well Dear do take care of yourself now that you have had your let down and keep your chin up as I know you have been doing in A-1 condition –

Lots of Love
Daddy

New_Zealand_Cities

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/06/14/mail-call-roscoe/

Music Club (Gladys)

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Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Nov. 15 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

No mail toady. The last rec’d was of Nov. 4 – The message “Greetings.” I rec’d no date on it but I presume it came a day or so after you sent it. I rec’d it one day last week.

It is grey Monday. I hung some white clothes out on the strength of sunshine visible then but now there seems to be nothing but grey clouds. There is a little wind so maybe they will dry. I hung colored clothes in the basement.

Today is Music Club and I am going to leave David at Funks. Mrs. Zell is going there to take care of Donnie & bobby. I was going to leave David at Zells but Arlene has charge of the program today & no help so Mrs. Z. is going to keep all the children at Funks. As soon as J. & M. come home from school I will have them bring David home. David is taking his morning nap at present. I bathed him and put him to bed about 10:30 and without a struggle he went to sleep.

[page 2] I think we have the furnace adjusted to this Ind. coal. It needed more air flow. I had been keeping the house at 68 but with me throat being so sensitive this fall I decided I would step the heat up to 72. The house feels much better and I feel warmer. I know that will take a little more coal but they should get more in. The strikes seem to be quieting down again. I suppose they figure this is the best time to strike and get what they are asking for. I do hope some settlement will be reached. I certainly have wished this winter we had an oil furnace but no use wishing for that now, but I think it’s worth considering later on.

We had a snow storm yesterday that lasted a few minutes – No evidence of it today. Mark is so anxious for snow & for the pond to freeze over. Last year the pond was frozen over long before Christmas – I am not wishing for such cold weather this year, but will take it if it comes.

It’s about time to get lunch ready – had to stop and bring the clothes in – raining – would have saved time and effort to hang them in basement at first – It’s now time for me to start getting ready to go to music meeting –
Love Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/06/13/music-club-gladys/

Fashion Moments – The Bustle

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Fashion Moments by Deborah SweeneyWelcome to my weekly fashion blog post. Each week I will discuss a piece of female clothing or fashion trend from the age of photography (1840s through the the 20th century). My goal is to educate family researchers and genealogists about the clothing worn by our ancestors. Dating photographs is an issue we all struggle with as family archivists. Additionally, anyone who writes about their family history should be aware of the environment in which their ancestors lived, and that includes the clothing they wore.

The Bustle

During the 1870s and 1880s (and even into the 1890s), women continued to wear long skirts which typically included a bustle. There are three distinct phases in appearance and style of the nineteenth century bustle. Being able to identify the bustle phase of a woman’s skirt is a plus for dating photographs.

Phase One (1867-1872)

The 1850s and 1860s were known as the era of hoop skirts. As the Civil War ended, fashion transitioned away from this style of skirt. The steel cages which had previously supported the various layers of petticoats and skirts were phased out. By the end of the 1860s, instead of wearing a structure that encircled the body (diagram on left), the crinoline or bustle evolved into an rear only structure (diagram on right).

 

This beautiful silk gown from the collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art is a typical example of the transition style. (Link to the circa 1870 dress in LACMA’s collection). The decoration of the skirt is linear around the bottom half of the hem and the skirt’s volume is full and rounded.

Woman's_Promenade_Dress_LACMA_M.2007.211.773a-d_(5_of_5)

Woman’s Promenade Dress, c. 1870 (LACMA collection)

Phase Two (1869-1876)

The second phase of the bustle overlapped with the transitional phase for a few years. This phase of the bustle was characterized by a draped over skirt which gathered to the back. The overall fullness of the skirt began to diminish. The skirt were generally flatter in front with emphasis shifting to the back bustle. As sewing machines in the home began to be more common, decoration and flounces became increasingly excessive.

Interlude (1876-1881)

By the middle of the 1870s, the bustle dropped out of fashion. Bodices became long and narrow, extending over the hips; they were seamed in the princess style and were also known as the cuirasse bodice. Like their namesake the cuirass (a piece of close-fitting defensive armour), these bodices were made to fit as closely as possible. All over decoration and flounces on the back of the skirt were typical during these years.

Phase Three (1881-1889)

The bustle of the 1880s became the fashion nightmare of its day. During the eighties, fashion swung between a desire for simplicity and a tendency towards excess. The bustle of this era looked like a shelf (according to fashion illustrations) built upon the female posterior.

1885 dress

Dress, c.1885, from the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

By the 1890s, the bustle was on its way out. Some posterior padding continued until 1905, but in general, the bustle was finished. The average female did not engage in excessive bustling. However, the bustle was common enough to be ridiculed and satirized in the newspapers of the day. Most women did have access to fashion magazines such as The Ladies Standard Magazine and a growing number of households acquired sewing machines in the late nineteenth century. Women re-created what they saw in the magazines according to their abilities (and their wallets). Mail order catalogs like Bloomindales sold ready-made clothing. Butterick and McCall sold paper patterns. It would be foolish to assume that our ancestors were out-of-touch with the latest fashions. Whether or not they could afford to replicate them was a different matter entirely.

Some Additional Resources:

English Women’s Clothing in the Nineteenth Century by C. Willett Cunnington is a great comprehensive guide of the evolution of fashion during the nineteenth century.

Victorian Fashions & Costumes from Harper’s Bazaar, 1867-1898 edited by Stella Blum

American Victorian Costume in Early Photographs by Priscilla Harris Dalrymple

©2015 written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/06/12/fashion-moments-the-bustle/

News and Shorts (Roscoe)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4 Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Nov. 14, 1943

Dear Mother,

Just to be different another Dr. and I went into town to see a show tonite and we just glanced at the name of the show and you guessed it I had seen the thing, as near as I can recall about 6 months ago. The news and the shorts were new so I wasn’t disappointed too much. After the show we had a hamburger and a cup of coffee and then home. That was the first time in a long time that approached anything like a show at home with the refreshment after, etc.

The dew today was pretty heavy – I mean of course the rain. It never seems to rain very hard but just keeps coming – Somehow it seems to be much wetter than the rain at home. I believe the drops are smaller and penetrate more – Just a crazy way of looking at it I suppose.

Well Dear it seems that writable news and stuff is really hard to think up and I promise to do better once your mail starts coming.

Love Daddy

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/06/12/news-and-shorts-roscoe/

Mother’s 71st Birthday (Gladys)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Nov. 14 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Sunday afternoon and cloudy. Quite chilly out of doors. John & I took David to S.S. this morning. Brought him home, then went back to church. Mark said he had a sore throat but I couldn’t see any signs of such, but didn’t insist on him going to S.S. & church. He stayed with David while J. & I went to church. Mark didn’t have any temp and seems [to] feel fine now so he must have been “gold bricking.” He insists he didn’t feel good but now is apparently fine.

Jim sent me money for flowers to take to the cemetery – this would have been Mother’s 71st birthday. Mrs. Zell stayed at the house the day of the funeral so is going with me this afternoon to take the flowers.

My sore throat seems to be cleared and sinus not bad. I took sulfadiazine

[page 2] twenty hours and didn’t break out any. I could have taken another dose but my throat felt good and I didn’t want to take until I got a reaction. It must have been a small bug – but I believe it was starting like it did last year & I nipped in the bud (I hope). Virginia Zell also had a sore throat and was in bed yesterday. I think we were both getting it at the same time. She came over for me to help her with her knitting, then she went out & raked leaves in the cold, which didn’t do her any good – Of course, hanging out clothes Fri. didn’t help me any either. I am debating in my mind if I will hang out tomorrow if the sun shines – don’t worry, I won’t if it’s very cold.

David is playing in the nursery, Mark is in his room supposed to be modeling airplanes, John has the Sunday Symphony on and I am trying to write – you will excuse these two letters together but must confess, forgot to mail yesterdays – I have a good excuse, I had to stay in due to my throat and didn’t send the boys to town for anything in the P.M.

Here’s hoping you get both –
Love Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/06/11/mothers-71st-birthday-gladys/

Second Hand News (Roscoe)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4
Navy 133 F.P.O. San Fran. Cal.
Nov. 13, 1943

Dear Mother,

No mail again today but each day there seems to be a little and one of these days it will be my time to receive.

I’m beginning to believe that every day is a little overcast and only once in ever soften there is a clear sun shining all day long. In fact there has only been one real fine day since I’ve arrived. There really hasn’t been enough sun shine for me to get the directions all straight. However it isn’t that hot sticky weather we used to have so I’m satisfied.

Our Radio news here are not as clear as at the last station. KWID is hard to get on the radio here. I don’t believe I told you but I sto sold my part of that radio to a fellow there because those things are really scarce in those parts. All of our news here come thru local stations and it’s more or less second hand.

There is no reason for spoiling two pieces of paper – So Solong Love Daddy

New_Zealand_Cities

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/06/10/second-hand-news-roscoe/