Chasing History

Week 5: The theme for Week 5 is “Challenge.” Which ancestor has been challenging to research? What ancestor faced an enormous challenge? Martin Stanley Taylor 24 July 1874 – ? 2nd great-grandfather Martin was born in Newberry Township in 1874. He married Minnie Jane Free in 1894. In 1895 they had a daughter, Lillian Mae Taylor. At some point Taylor and Martin divorced or if family legend is correct, he abandoned Minnie. By the 1930s he was living in Ohio. In 1930, at age 55 he married Anna Catherine Wendel. They moved to Phoenix, Arizona and remained there until Anna's death in 1947. Her body was returned to Ohio for burial and that's when I lose track of Martin.  If anyone may be related to Martin, please reach out. I'd love to break through this brick wall. 

Week 4: The theme for Week 4 is “Overlooked.” It’s close to impossible to research everyone equally. Who is someone in your family tree who you haven’t researched very much? You could also consider those ancestors for whom it feels like you are the only person in the world searching for them.  Domenico Giusti –1916 First husband of my great-grandmother  Apollonia Mary Napoleone What I know- He was born in Italy but was in America around 1912.  He was married to Apollonia and she came to America to be with him. (He was listed as her husband and destination on her passenger records).  At some point, he went back to Italy and served in the army. He was killed in action during WWI in 1916 in the Italian Alps while fighting against the Austro-Hungarian army.  What I don't know- Everything else about him.

  Week 3: The theme for Week 3 is “Nickname.” Nicknames can hint to a person’s personality, occupation, or appearance. But be careful to not always take them literally! (Think of all the burly guys nicknamed “Tiny!”) Sometimes they have an “origin story” – like “Coco,” a classmate of mine. She got the nickname because her little brother couldn’t pronounce her real name (Colleen). Which of your ancestors had a nickname? Do you know how they got it? It would probably be easier to choose an ancestor that DIDN'T have a nickname.  My paternal great-grandfather was named Giuseppe and went by Joe. My maternal great-grandfather was named Elwood and went by Bud.  My paternal grandmother was named Dominica and went by Dominish and Donna.  My father's sister is named Paulette and goes by her middle name- Jean. My father's late brother was named Paul and went by Butch.  I was named Dominish after my maternal grandmother (no one in the family (at the time) knew her legal nam...

Week 2: Week 2’s theme is “Favorite Photo.” Yes, I’ve included this prompt in the last few years of 52 Ancestors, and for good reason: Photos capture our family history like few other things can. Besides, how can you limit yourself to one?! This week, tell the story of a favorite photo: who is in it, where and when was it taken, and – just as important – why was it taken? Amanda E Spahr Erney 1882–1970 Maternal 2nd great-grandmother I have two photographs of my 2nd great-grandmother. They are photographs taken during her younger years. Born in 1882, I'd estimate that these photographs were taken in the late 1890s or early 1900s. As a reenactor and historical costumer, I'm tempted to recreate the photographs and see how closely I resemble her (my father's genes have definitely been more dominant in my looks, so it would be fun to resemble someone on my mother's side of the family).  I was gifted Amanda's wedding band, which has her initials on the inside, by my grand...

  Week 1 Prompt: This week’s theme is “In the Beginning.” (According to “The Sound of Music,” the beginning is a very good place to start.) Who was the first person you wanted to find when you started your genealogy journey? Was there a family member who sparked your interest, maybe by giving you a bunch of genealogy “stuff”? This would be a great week to write about them! ... As a child, I was given an assignment for Brownies (Girl Scouts), to create a family tree to earn the My Family Story badge. Filling in my mom's side of the family was easy. We had always lived within five minutes of the majority of my mom's family. My dad's family was a different story. I had Aunts and Uncles in Flordia, Texas, and the Carolinas. The majority of the older members of the family had long since passed, and the remaining family was fuzzy on details like dates of birth and names. My dad's grandparents were both from Italy but, hadn't met each other until they separately emigrated...