Chasing History

Did you know that the U.S. Postal Service is older than America?  Today the Postal Service turns 250!  “The post office was created a year before the Declaration of Independence and has been there at every step along the American journey,” said Steve Kochersperger, the agency’s postal historian. “It goes everywhere Americans have gone and keeps us united.” Throughout history, the mail has been delivered by rail, pony express, airplane, trucks, boats, and stagecoaches.  General stamps were introduced in 1847 and cost 5 cents and 10 cents. A Forever stamp now costs 78 cents.  Who was the first Postmaster General? Ben Franklin! On July 26, 1775, the Second Continental Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin the first Postmaster General.  Weird things you used to be able to mail and some that you still can- Regulations about what you could and couldn’t send through the mail were vague when post offices began accepting parcels over four pounds on January 1, 1913. People...

  Week 30: The theme for Week 30 is “Religious Traditions.” Have you explored religious records for any of your ancestors? Do you have an ancestor who was active in his/her place of worship? I am the only practicing Catholic in my family. My mom comes from a long line of Protestants and United Methodists. When she married my father they agreed that their children would be baptized into the Catholic Church.  Despite that agreement, we didn’t attend Catholic Mass while I was growing up. Instead, we found ourselves in various Methodist congregations throughout the years. It wasn’t until I turned 20 that I made the personal decision to be Confirmed in the Catholic Church—a step that marked the beginning of my own faith journey. Anthony / Antoni Achenbach  Born: 15 September 1749 Dorf Eisen Eisendorf, Schleswig Holstein, Allemagne, Germany Died: 09 March 1813 Mannheim Township, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania 5th great-granduncle   Anthony Achenbach, my 5th great-grandunc...

My most popular presentation is Women at War: The Female Soldiers of the American Civil War and Those Who Wished They Were. I open the presentation with the following: "Contrary to popular belief, women did in fact fight in the American Civil War. They also infiltrated the United States Army in earlier wars. Deborah Sampson served for 17 months in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War as Robert Shurtliff and Lucy Brewer served with the Marines aboard Old Ironsides as George Baker during the War of 1812. Once a taboo topic, modern historians are finally shedding light on the role that female soldiers played in the Civil War and the women who made a living off of lying about their military service." Although the meat of my presentation is about women who actually disguised themselves and fought in the American Civil War, I spend time during my presentation talking about women who lied and made up stories about having spent time in the military. The women realized th...

  Hereditary Homicide? Abraham Miller We often hear that mental health conditions can be passed down through generations—but what about something darker? Could an urge for violence, even bloodlust or murder, be hereditary? Is it a flaw buried deep within someone's DNA, or are some individuals simply born with a predisposition for evil? Is that darkness shaped by life experience, environment, and trauma? Perhaps it’s not a question of nature or nurture—but a disturbing blend of both. Abraham Miller, my 3rd great-grandfather, was born in January of 1812 in East Pennsboro, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.  I don't know much about Abraham's life before the tragic events of 1856, but I do know that he was married to Martha Rawlins and together they started a family. Unfortunately, one of Abraham's sons would follow in his father's murderous footsteps (see my blog post about Jeremiah W Miller ).  In August of 1856 Abraham and an accomplice murdered John Kissel. Kissel wa...

  Week 29: The theme for Week 29 is “Cousins.” As genealogists, we know that there are more kinds of cousins than just the children of our aunts and uncles. This week, write about a cousin – no matter how “distantly” they are related to you! Martha Elizabeth Miller Cassell Zimmerman Born: 1872 Died: 1941 1st cousin 3x removed Martha Elizabeth Miller was just 17 years old in August of 1890 when her father murdered her mother and then committed suicide in front of her and her eight siblings. At 17, Martha was the oldest, and the youngest sibling was just two months old. August 3rd, 1890, started with Jeremiah W. Miller verbally abusing his wife and eldest daughter at the breakfast table. He accused them of running around town with different men and threatened to shoot them. A threat that he would carry through with just moments later. After shooting Mary, the mother, in the chest with a double-barreled shotgun, Jeremiah gathered the children around, told them he was going to kill h...

What's in a name?  Names often carry stories—they’re chosen with meaning, with memory. I was named after my grandmother, a gesture that ties me to her even though we never met. My brother’s middle name? Passed down from our father.  Jeremiah   The name Jeremiah is derived from the Hebrew name Yirmeyahu, which is composed of two elements: "Yah," a shortened form of the name Yahweh (the Hebrew name for God), and "rami," meaning "to loosen" or "to raise".  Jeremiah is a prominent figure in the Old Testament, known for his prophetic ministry and the Book of Jeremiah, which contains his prophecies and laments.  In English, it's also the basis for the name Jeremy. Beyond its literal meaning, Jeremiah can also be seen as symbolizing hope, faith, and divine promise, particularly within the context of the biblical narrative. In my family tree, I have two Jeremiahs. One on my paternal side and one on my maternal side.  Jeremiah W.  Miller (my secon...

Week 28: The theme for Week 28 is “Travel.” Travel takes many forms: immigration to a new country, migration from one region to another, road trips, and traveling for work, just to name a few. Who is someone in your family tree who traveled? Christian Wineker (Vinegar) My 6th great-grandfather (maternal) Born: 1730 Zurich, Canton, Switzerland Died: 30 Nov 1800 East Donegal, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA The distance from Zurich, Switzerland to Lancaster, Pennsylvania is: 4,065 miles / 6,543 km flying My 6th great-grandfather didn't have the luxury of a twelve-plus hour, 4,065-mile flight. To emigrate to this country he had to travel to a port city in Europe and then sail to America.  The furthest I've traveled is from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to Chicago, Illinois. As someone afraid of heights, I did not enjoy the quick and easy two-hour flight. I'd still take that over the journey that Christian had to make. The total driving distance from Harrisburg, PA, to Chicago, IL, is ...

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Week 27: The theme for Week 27 is “Family Business.” Do you have an ancestor who ran his or her own business? What about a trade that seems to run in the family? This is a good week to write about them! For Week 27 I am going completely off script. This week is a tribute to my cousin Eileen. I don't want to go into particulars out of respect for her and her immediate family, but this blog is giving me the much needed space to grieve someone every important to me.  Eileen was my 1st cousin 1x removed. We were kindred spirits born 38 years apart apart. Eileen's mother Emma Casini, was my grandmother Dominish's sister. Eileen and I bonded over family history. She found me on Facebook after a Miller family reunion was hosted one summer for my father's Miller side of the family. She explained that we were cousins and wanted to share some genealogy with me. We would send Facebook messages and posts back and forth anytime we uncovered an old Casini family photograph or an ane...