Events in My Family Tree: December 31 (at last!)

I have a copy of a big family photo that was taken on the occasion of Anna's wedding in 1924.  Hymie died on the 40th anniversary of his sister Anna's wedding.

Births

Edmund Hoffman was born December 31, 1825 in Pennsylvania.  He was the husband of Mary Gaunt, daughter of David Gaunt and Pamela Plummer, who is my 2nd cousin 4x removed via the Gaunts.

Clarence Eugene Easlick, son of Allen Severs Easlick and Mary E. Shemeley, was born December 31, 1912 in New Jersey, probably in Burlington County.  He is my 3rd cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line through the Easlicks.

Carol Alene Gauntt, daughter of James Kirkland Gauntt and Newita Wanda Scott, was born December 31, 1940 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino County, California.  She is my 1st cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line.

Marriages

Henry C. Buckley and Ella Gaunt, daughter of Benjamin Franklin Gaunt and Elizabeth K. Frazer, were married December 31, 1868, probably in Burlington County, New Jersey.  Ella is my 2nd cousin 3x removed via the Gaunts.

John B. Gaunt, son of James Gauntt and Amelia Gibson, and Sarah V. Woolston were married December 31, 1876 in Mount Holly, Burlington County, New Jersey.  John is my great-granduncle.

William B. Gaunt, son of Abner H. Gaunt and Emeline Severs, and Fannie Rebecca Hall were also married December 31, 1876, but I don't know where.  It was likely New Jersey or Pennsylvania.  William is my 1st cousin 3x removed via the Gaunts.

William Lippincott Gaunt, son of Benjamin Franklin Gaunt and Mary A. Woolman, and Clara M. Taggart were married December 31, 1921, probably in Burlington County, New Jersey.  This William is my 3rd cousin 2x removed via the Gaunts.

Gabriel William Lederman and Anna Gordon (originally Chana Gorodetsky), daughter of Avigdor Gorodetsky and Esther Leah Schneiderman, were married December 31, 1924 in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York.  Anna is my great-grandaunt.

Jose "Uchey" Yngber and Edie Ida Jakowszycka, daughter of Aaron Samuel Jakowszyck and Findle "Novinska" (probably Nowicka?), were married December 31, 1939, probably in Cuba.  Edie is likely my 2nd cousin 2x removed on my Nowicki line.

Philip Charles Alexander and Jessie Utley Easlick, daughter of Vinton Thompson Easlick and Beulah Anna Elizabeth Bozarth, were married December 31, 1951 in Burlington County, New Jersey.  Jessie is my 4th cousin on my Gauntt line through the Easlicks.

Melvin Cecil Gordon, son of Alexander Gordon and Roslyn Rubin, and Marcia Urrutia were married December 31, 1982 in Dade County, Florida.  Melvin is my 1st cousin 1x removed on my Gordon line.

Joel Ian Katz and Leala Rona Birnboim, daughter of Chaim Avraham Birnboim and Shirley Hirt, were married December 31, 1989 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  Leala is my 4th cousin on my Meckler line through the Birnboims.

Deaths

Hyman Gordon (originally Chaim Gorodetsky), son of Avigdor Gorodetsky and Esther Leah Schneiderman, died December 31, 1964, probably in Manhattan, New York County, New York, at the age of 65.  He is my great-granduncle.

John F. Kelly, son of Joseph Kelley and Martha W. Lawrence, died December 31, 1975 in New Jersey.  He is the 2nd cousin 1x removed of my half 1st cousin Albert Lore on his Eckman line through the Lawrences.

Events in My Family Tree: October 1

On Albertine P. (Gaunt) Dickensheets' 26th birthday, she received a very special present:  a bouncing baby boy!

Births

Benjamin Selah Gaunt, son of Hananiah Selah Gaunt and Mary Elizabeth Rose, was born October 1, 1822 in Burlington County, New Jersey.  He is my half-great-great-granduncle.

Albertine P. Gaunt, daughter of Henry Plummer Gaunt and Emma Smith, was born October 1, 1855 in Union Township, Camden County, New Jersey.  She is my 3rd cousin 3x removed via the Gaunts.

Kesiah Gaunt, daughter of James Gauntt and Amelia Gibson, was born October 1, 1858 in Buddtown, Burlington County, New Jersey.  She is my great-grandaunt.

Charles Dalton Gaunt, son of Jacob Gaunt and Melvina F. Bennett, was born October 1, 1860 in Jay County, Indiana.  He is my 3rd cousin 3x removed via the Gaunts.

Carleton Dickensheets, son of George W. Dickensheets and Albertine P. Gaunt, was born October 1, 1881 in Gloucester, Camden County, New Jersey, on his mother's birthday.  He is my 4th cousin 2x removed via the Gaunts.

Phyllis Marie Smith was born October 1, 1928 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.  She was the wife of Roscoe Preston Flynn, son of Roscoe Sherman Flynn and Edna May Gauntt, who is my 1st cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line.

Bertha M. Spangler was born October 1, 1937 in Mount Holly, Burlington County, New Jersey.  She was the wife of Mark Lewallen Gauntt, Jr., son of Mark Lewallen Gauntt, Jr. and May Ethyl Lake, who is my 4th cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line.

Leslie Ellen Shear was born October 1, 1950 in St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota.  She is the wife of Elliott Kushner, son of George Kushner and Ruth Rebecca Segal, who is my 4th cousin on my Meckler line through the Kushners.

William Michael Whitley, son of William Meredith Whitley and Jean Anne Clark, was born October 1, 1956 in Tempe, Maricopa County, Arizona.  He is my 6th cousin on my Gauntt line through the Clarks.

Carrie Mason was born October 1, 1964.  She is my 3rd cousin.

Sason Ross was born October 1, 1994.  He is my 4th cousin 1x removed.

Estee Pearl Katz was born October 1, 1997.  She is my 4th cousin 1x removed.

Marriages

Joseph Gaunt, son of Joseph Gaunt and Elizabeth Frances Borton, and Mary A. Lobaugh were married October 1, 1793, possibly in Perry County, Pennsylvania.  Joseph is my 4x-great-granduncle.

Andrew Earl Slentz, son of Ephraim Slentz and Zilpha Emily Gaunt, and Bessie Florence Landis were married October 1, 1908 in Cassopolis, Cass County, Michigan.  Andrew is my 4th cousin 2x removed via the Gaunts.

David Lester Gaunt, son of Irving Lester Gaunt and Mildred Hoffmann Childs, and Virginia Carolyn Petersen were married October 1, 1960 in Mount Ephraim, Camden County, New Jersey.  David is my 5th cousin via the Gaunts.

Edwin Earl Layton, Jr., son of Edwin Earl Layton and Lois L. Vaughn, and Linda B. Howell were married October 1, 1977 in Orange County, California.  Edwin is my 5th cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line via the Vaughns.

James Albert Buchanan and Patricia Ann Lore, daughter of Clarence Newcomb Lore and Dorothy Mae Sellers, were married October 1, 2007 in Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas.  Pattie is my half 1st cousin.

Death

Sallie Jane Hartman, daughter of Samuel Frank Hartman and Lucy Ann Gaunt, died October 1, 1884 in Greenwich, Cumberland County, New Jersey at the age of 6 years and 6 months.  She is my 3rd cousin 2x removed via the Gaunts.

Events in My Family Tree: February 18

In today's list, all of the births fell in the 1900's, while all the deaths occurred in the 1800's.

Births

Robert Gaunt, son of Calvert Gaunt and Annette Pearson, was born February 18, 1900.  He is my 4th cousin 2x removed.

Earl Perkins was born February 18, 1933 in Bridgeport, Fairfield County, Connecticut.  He was married to Patricia Ann Lore, daughter of Clarence Newcomb Lore and Dorothy Mae Sellers, who is my 1st cousin.

James Daniel Gauntt, son of Reuben Lewallen Gauntt and Dorothy Selace, was born February 18, 1944.  He is my 5th cousin.

Phillip Wayne Clark was born February 18, 1975.  He is my 6th cousin on my Gauntt line.

Miriam Devorah Joy Diamond was born February 18, 1989 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  She is my 4th cousin once removed on my Meckler line.

Sophia Ruby Katz was born February 18, 1994 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  She is also my 4th cousin once removed on my Meckler line.

Alexandrea Yvonne Watson was born February 18, 1998 in Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa.  She is the daughter of my not-quite-cousin Angela Williams.

Marriages

Sam Berezniak and Anna Perlman, daughter of Maishe Eli Perlman and Ethel Nowicki, were married on February 18, 1926 in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York.  Anna is my 2nd cousin 2x removed via the Nowickis.

Carol Dunn

Michael David Baker, Sr. and Carol Sue Dunn, daughter of Harold Edwin Dunn and Ruth Clara Ellis, were married on February 18, 1978 in Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana.  Carol is my 2nd cousin on my Gauntt line through the Ellises (and is also interested in genealogy!).

Darlin Easter Jordan and Janelle Patricia Farrier were married on February 18, 2006 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California.  Janelle is the sister of my sister-in-law, Sandra Farrier.

Deaths

Dorothea Schiffer, daughter of Daniel Schiffer and Henriette, died on February 18, 1866 at the age of 62 in Gleiwitz, Obersilesia, Prussia.  She is the great-great-grandmother of my aunt Mary McStroul.

Edwin M. Sellers, son of Edwin Mortimer Sellers and Rebecca Bird, died February 18, 1872 at the age of about 15 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.  He is my 2nd cousin 3x removed.

Charles Howard Gaunt, son of Charles R. Gaunt and Anna B. Folwell, died February 18, 1881 at the age of 2 1/2 in Mount Holly, Burlington County, New Jersey.  He is my 3rd cousin 2x removed.

Elizabeth Kunkle, daughter of Martin Kunkle and Susanna Mock, died February 18, 1891 at the age of about 51 in Noble County, Indiana.  She is my 4th cousin 4x removed via the Mocks.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun: Interview a Relative Who Was at a Family Event

Sometimes when I read Randy Seaver's challenge for Saturday Night Genealogy Fun I know right away what I want to write about, and tonight is one of those nights.

Here is your assignment if you choose to play along (cue the Mission:  Impossible music, please!):

(1) If you could go back in a time machine and reattend one family event that you were present at as a child, and would love to return to interview your relative, what event would that be?

(2)  Tell us about it in a comment on this blog post, in a blog post of your own, or in a Facebook post.

The family event I would like to attend again is one for which I have no memory of my own, but which both of my parents told me happened.  My mother told me that shortly after I was born, she took a trip back to Florida so that her maternal grandmother could see me.  There is no photograph to document this trip, so some years ago I asked my father about it, and he does recall my mother taking a trip to Florida with me when I was a little baby.  This would have been in 1962, probably summer or fall.

Obviously, I don't remember the visit, but it would be logical to presume that my maternal grandmother would have been there also.  Perhaps my grandfather was not there, because otherwise there really should have been a photograph.  He took photos of all sorts of family events.  Why, oh why, is there no photo of the four generations of women?

The relative I would like to interview is my great-grandmother Sarah Libby Gordon (born Sore Leibe Brainin).  She died the next year, and there are lots of questions I would like to ask her.  I would love to have more information about her parents (who did immigrate to the United States but died even before my mother was born), her sister (since I know almost nothing about the Jaffe side of my family), her grandparents (whom she probably knew), when she came to this country (after thirty years of searching I still haven't found her on a passenger list, even though she would have been traveling with three small children), where she was actually living in Europe (all the documents about that side of the family here in the U.S. say they were from Kreuzburg, Russia, now Krustpils, Latvia, but I haven't found a single document from Europe to verify that), what it was like living in Europe, how the family decided to emigrate, and many more I'm sure I would come up with.

I would love to ask her about the photograph my grandmother had (which I now have) showing her as an apparent teenager with her mother.  Also in the photograph are another woman and two other girls.  My grandmother recognized her mother and grandmother but had no idea who the other three people were.  I think the second woman might be my great-grandmother's sister, but I have no clue about the two girls.  I suspect the photo was taken soon before my branch of the family came to the United States.  I want to know the significance of the photo book shown on a small table on one side of the photograph, and of the rolled-up piece of paper in my great-great-grandmother's hand.

I'd ask her about my great-grandfather, her husband, who died in 1955:  what he was like, what she knew about his side of the family, if they ever communicated with any family members still in Europe.  Maybe she would know if the Gorodetskys really were related to the Kardishes.

I would ask what she remembered about my great-great-grandfather, her husband's father, who immigrated to the United States in 1914 and died in 1925.  She and my great-grandfather had been married about ten years when he passed away, so I'm sure she would have known him at least a little.

I would ask her what it was like to have one of her sons take the advice to "Go west, young man!" literally.  While the rest of the family stayed in the New York–New Jersey–Massachusetts area, Dave was in San Francisco in 1910, Montana in 1917, and Washington State in 1918, before appearing in the 1920 census in New York.

I'd see if she knew anything about the man her older sister took up with, the mysterious "Mr. Katz", who was the father of my grandmother's favorite cousin.  Perhaps she could also shed some light on what happened to that older sister that caused her to live the last years of her life in an institution.

I'd like to find out what she thought of her new life in the United States.  Did it live up to what she had expected?  If not, was it still better than what life had been like in Russia?

My mother used to tell me that her grandmother never learned to speak English.  My mother would talk in English, and her grandmother would respond in German, and somehow they managed to communicate that way.  I'd like to find out if that was accurate.

I'd like to tell her that I now have her silverplate flatware and that I traditionally use it for seder dinner during Passover.  I think she'd like that.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday