CategoriesWeekly History

Weekly History: May 30th – June 5th

The important dates in my family history for this week (a day late.) As always, you can find this info on the Dates & Anniversaries page.

June 2nd

Firmenich Family 1895
Pauline FIRMENICH and her family - 1895

1789 – Married – Johannes VENNINGER & Elisabeth FLECK – Johannes and Elisabeth are my wife’s 5th-great-grandparents on her father’s side. They were both born in Baden, Germany. They had 8 children, including her ancestor Elisabetha VENNINGER. Johannes passed away in 1834 and Elisabeth in 1837.

June 3rd

1640 – Born – Major William VAUGHAN – William is my wife’s 9th-great-grandfather on her mother’s side. He was born in Glamorganshire, South Wales. In 1668, he married Margaret CUTTS. In the book “The Genealogical Registry of the Butters Family” it says William “came to New England from London about 1664. He was elected Constable in 1665, Lieutenant of Cavalry in 1672, Captain 1680, Major Commanding, 1681, one of the Council of New Hampshire 1682-1690, Treasurer of Province 1696-1698. He married Dec. 8, 1668, Margaret, daughter of Hon. Richard Cutt, son of Richard Cutt, Esq., of Grondale Abbey, Arkesden, Essex county, England.” He passed away in about 1690.

1910 – Died – Pauline (THOMPSON) FIRMENICH (right) – Paulina is my 3rd-great-grandmother on my father’s side. She was born 5 May 1849 in Granville, Milwaukee Co., Wisconsin (now Brown Deer, Wisconsin.) She married Mathias FIRMENICH in 1867 in Brown County, Wisconsin and they had 13 children. Paulina outlived four of her children who died of Diphtheria in 1885. She passed away in Morrison, Brown Co., Wisconsin and is buried at St. Agnes Cemetery in Ashland, Ashland Co., Wisconsin.

June 4th

This is my father’s birthday. Happy Birthday, Dad!

1891 – Married – Frank F BRAATZ, Sr & Margaret STEARNS – Frank and Margaret are my great-great-grandparents on my father’s side. They were married at Bear Creek, Outagamie Co., Wisconsin. Together they had 5 children, including my great-grandmother Agnes (BRAATZ) CORRIGAN. Margaret died in 1943 and Frank in 1948. They are buried at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Ashland, Wisconsin.

June 5th

1926 – Died – Carl F H LAST – Carl is my great-great-grandfather on my mother’s side. He was born on 26 Sep 1851 in Doeringshagen, Pommerania (which is now located just northwest of Å»abowo, Goleniów County, Western Pomerania, Poland.) He married Augusta LUEDTKE in 1883 in Milwaukee Co., Wisconsin and together they had 16 children. Carl passed away in Port Washington, Ozaukee Co., Wisconsin and is buried there at Union Cemetery.

CategoriesWeekly History

Weekly History: May 23rd – 29th

My family history for this week. As always, you can find this information out at any time on the Dates & Anniversaries page.

May 25th

1922 – Died – Ignatz Peter SZULTA – Ignatz is my 3rd-great-grandfather on my father’s side. He was born 30 Jan 1849 in Bukowa Góra, SulÄ™czyno Parish, Kartuzy County, Pomorskie, Poland, a small parish near Gdansk. In 1870, he married Nepomuncema SYLDAKT before emigrating to Wisconsin in about 1881. He passed away in Milwaukee and is buried there at Holy Cross Cemetery.

May 26th

1770 – Died – Andreas UHL – Andreas is my wife’s 7th-great-grandfather on her father’s side. He was born in Rothenburg, Obdertauber, Bavaria. He married Elisabetha FABER in 1728. He passed away in Neipperg, Baden, Germany and is buried there.

May 27th

1879 – Born – Mary (DAKINS) SHANNON – Mary is my wife’s great-great-grandmother on her mother’s side. She was born in Dayton, Waupaca Co., Wisconsin. In 1899, she married George W SHANNON and had one child, Marie R SHANNON. Mary suddenly died in 1904 in Keene, Portage Co., Wisconsin. Little Marie was sent to live with Mary’s parents and George, it seems, went off to Colorado.

2006 – This is also our 4th wedding anniversary.

May 28th

1842 – Born – Mary Jane (LINT) DIETER – Mary Jane is my wife’s 3rd-great-grandmother on her father’s side. She was born in Ohio. She married Frederick DIETER in 1868 in Fox Hollow, Wisconsin. They had 12 children including her ancestor Emma DIETER. She passed away on 20 Oct 1913 at Fox Hollow and is buried at Emmanuel Cemetery in Richland Co., Wisconsin.

May 29th

1816 – Born – Nathaniel SHANNON – Nathaniel is my wife’s 3rd-great-grandfather on her father’s side. He was born in Gilmanton, Belknap Co., New Hampshire. He married Rosina ARNOLD in 1838. They had 8 children together, including the above-mentioned George W SHANNON. He passed away on 26 Oct 1878 in Stockton, Portage Co., Wisconsin and is buried nearby in Whiting.

CategoriesWay Back WednesdayZalewski

Way Back Wednesday: The Lone House

House

This man originally purchased the house that my grandparents lived in from 1955-2005, until I bought it. He actually wanted the brick version of the house, so he purchased another one. He is pictured here on the land where his house is being built. Way in the back is his original purchased house, my grandparent’s house..my house. It turns out that it was the first house built in this subdivision in 1955. It looks a bit different today.

CategoriesWeekly History

Weekly History: May 16th – 22nd

The history of my family for this week. As always, you can find this information anytime on the Dates & Anniversaries page.

May 16th

1842 – Born – John HUIZEL – John is my wife’s great-great-grandfather on her father’s side. He was born in Bohemia, Czechoslovakia. He married Barbara REINDL in about 1864 and they had 5 children, all of them before emigration to the US. He passed away on 19 Mar 1903 in Iowa and is buried at Bohemian Cemetery in Plymouth, Cerro Gordo Co., Iowa.

May 17th

1809 – Married – Constant Joseph LAURENT & Marie Josèphe BERO – Constant and Marie are my 4th-great-grandparents on my mother’s side. They were married at Piétrebais, Walloon Brabant, Wallonia, Belgium. Together, they had 4 children including my ancestor Jean-Baptiste LAURENT. They both passed away at Biez, Chaumont-Gistoux, Walloon Brabant, Belgium, Constant in 1841 and Marie in 1853.

May 18th

1848 – Born – Peter MUHM – Peter is my 3rd-great-grandfather on my mother’s side. He was born at Palatine, Montgomery Co., New York. He married Ida SCHAVANDIE in about 1870. They had 4 children born in Wisconsin. Peter passed away at 39 on 6 May 1888 in Langlade Co., Wisconsin. His wife lived almost 50 more years when she passed away in 1934.

May 19th

1872 – Died – Dorothea (COOK) MORAN – Dorothea is my wife’s 3rd-great-grandmother on her father’s side. She was born 8 May 1825 in Cork County, Ireland. In 1845 she married Robert MORAN. Together they had 9 children on their travels from Quebec, Canada to Wisconsin. Dorothea died in Grant Co., Wisconsin and is supposedly buried at Old Rock Church in Livingston, Grant Co., Wisconsin.

May 20th

1920 – Died – Olivine (ST. LOUIS) LAURENT – Olivine is my 3rd-great-grandmother on my mother’s side. She was born 17 Sep 1835 in Yamachiche, St. Maurice, Quebec, Canada. In 1857 she married Jean-Baptiste LAURENT (son of Constant and Marie above.) They had 9 children including my ancestor, Mary Philomene LAURENT. According to my notes, Olivine was the first school teacher in Phlox, Wisconsin. Note write up on the History of Outagamie County regarding the early days at Phlox, Wisconsin. The school is now torn down. Olivine passed away in Phlox, Langlade Co., Wisconsin and is buried at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery in the nearby Norwood Township.

May 21st

1838 – Died – Lawrence MINKLawrence is my wife’s 5th-great-grandfather on her father’s side. He was born 8 Nov 1773 in Fredericktown, Maryland. He married Mary Elizabeth LOWRY in about 1795. He passed away in Preble Co., Ohio.

CategoriesCemeteriesTombstone Tuesday

Tombstone Tuesday: Toney

Carey Toney -  Headstone
Carey Toney

This is the headstone of my wife’s 5th-great-grandfather on her father’s side, Carey Toney. Carey was born 3 Oct 1763 (or 1757) in Buckingham Co., Virginia to William and Margaret (SUTHERLAND) TONEY. He married Elizabeth DOREN in 1789. Later they traveled to Ohio where they lived out the rest of their lives. Carey died on 6 Sep 1859 at the age of, as the stone says, “about 100 years.” He is buried with his wife at Railsback Cemetery in Union County, Indiana.

[ Find-a-Grave Link | Cemetery Link ]

CategoriesWeekly History

Weekly History: May 9th – 15th

Happy Mother’s day to all of the moms out there (and moms-to-be.) As always, you can get this info at anytime on the Dates & Anniversaries page.

May 9th

1860 – Died – Mary (CRONIN) MCCANN – Mary is my 4th-great-grandmother of my father’s side. She was born about 1797 in Ireland. She married Thomas McCann and they had 4 children, including my ancestor Mary McCann. It’s assuming she passed away in Uptergrove, Ontario, Canada as did her husband before her in January.

1908 – Died – Margaret (SCHUMACHER) STEARNS – Margaret is my 3rd-great-grandmother on my father’s side. She was born 14 Sep 1838 in Württemberg, Germany. Her name has been written as Katherine Rosina Margaretha in her husband’s German passport. She married Georg Heinrich Stearns in about 1862 and had 4 children. They immigrated to Wisconsin in the late 1800s. Margaret is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Weyauwga, Waupaca Co., Wisconsin.

May 10th

1675 – Died – Richard CUTTS – Richard is my wife’s 10th-great-grandfather on her mother’s side. He was born 23 Jun 1615 in Portsmouth, Rockingham Co., New Hampshire. His parents were both born in Somerset, England. He married Eleanor ALDERSEY in about 1649. He passed away at Portsmouth.

May 11th

1809 – Married – Phillipus VAN PARIJS & Anna JUNIS – Phillipus and Anna are my 5th-great-grandmother on my mother’s side. They were married in Hoofdplaat, Zeeland, Netherlands and had three children. Anna passed away in 1818 and Phillipus in 1832, both in the Netherlands.

May 12th

1725 – Born – Maria (TRUIJEN) VAN CRAYBECK – Maria is my 7th-great-grandmother of my mother’s side. She was born in Genk, Limburg, Belgium. She married Paulus van Craybeck in about 1748. She passed away on 24 Jan 1789 in Genk.

1824 – Married – Maximilien PIETTE & Victoria BOUCHER – Maximilien and Victoria are my wife’s 4th-great-grandparents on her mother’s side. They were married in Thorembais-les-Beguines, Brabant Wallon, Belgium. Together they had 9 children, including her ancestor Fulvie Adelaide PIETTE. They both passed away in Door Co., Wisconsin.

1871 – Died – William TONEY – William is my wife’s 4th-great-grandfather on her father’s side. He was born 2 May 1794 in Franklin Co., Virginia. He married Sarah KEENE in about 1809 and had 7 children. He passed away at Crawford Co., Wisconsin.

May 14th

1898 – Born – Madora (LAST) THIELKEMadora is my great-grandmother on my mother’s side. She was born in Grafton, Ozaukee Co., Wisconsin, one of 16 children. She married Arthur THIELKE on 26 Jul 1919 in Port Washington, Ozaukee Co., Wisconsin and had 4 children. She passed away 10 Sep 1979 in Grafton and is buried there at St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery.

May 15th

1929 – Died – Charles Christopher MORANCharles is my wife’s great-great-grandfather on her father’s side. He was born about 23 Nov 1864 in Montfort, Grant Co., Wisconsin. He married Emma DIETER in about 1889. They had 6 children. Charles passed away at Tarver, Wisconsin and is buried at Tavera Cemetery in Richwood, Richland Co., Wisconsin.

CategoriesGenetic GenealogySaturday Genealogy Fun

SNGF: Matrilineal Line

For Randy Seaver’s Saturday Night Genealogy Fun post, he asks:

  1. List your matrilineal line – your mother, her mother, etc. back to the first identifiable mother. Note: this line is how your mitochondrial DNA was passed to you!
  2. Tell us if you have had your mitochondrial DNA tested, and if so, which Haplogroup you are in.
  3. Post your responses on your own blog post.

I’ve already done this since, yes, I have had my mDNA tested. I had it done for the National Geographic’s Genographic Project.

  1. Me, Brian ZALEWSKI
  2. Sharon THIELKE (Living) married John ZALEWSKI
  3. Marjorie DeBROUX (Living)  married LeRoy THIELKE
  4. Mildred Vida VAN PRICE (1903 Mattoon, WI – 1994 Port Washington, WI) married Leon DeBROUX
  5. Minnie M MUHM (1879 Norwood Twsp, WI – 1959 Port Washington, WI) married Pieter Franciscus VAN PARIJS
  6. Ida SCHAVANDIE (1852 Wisconsin or Germany – 1934 Antigo, WI) married Peter MUHM
  7. Anna RASCH (? Germany – ?) married Lawrence SCHAVANDIE

So, Anna RASCH is as far back as I’ve traced so far. When I took the test, I only had up to Ida and not much info about her, so I am making progress. Pieter VAN PARIJS changed his name to Peter VAN PRICE, which is why the name changes during that generation. That caused me some headache until I figured it out.

According to my DNA test, my Mitochondrial line hapolgroup is H. According to the Haplogroup H Wikipedia entry,  it is the most common mtDNA haplogroup in Europe.  About one half of Europeans are of mtDNA haplogroup H. That does back up the German heritage of my line.

CategoriesWay Back Wednesday

Way Back Wednesday

Joseph Troka & Dad
Joseph Troka & my Dad

This is a photo of my great-great-grandfather, Joseph Troka, and his great-grandson (my father.) It was taken in May 1959, probably at my Dad’s first communion. You will notice that Joseph liked to wear his pants very high.

CategoriesBig NewsFamily TreePersonal

The Next Generation Begins

I am forgoing the normal “Weekly History” post this week for a special announcement.  It’s now been 12 weeks into the 36 weeks of the pregnancy of our first child. A big announcement that was hard to keep a secret until this point. 12 weeks is usually the point when most couples make the large announcement. Obviously, we told family and some others previous to this point. Our parents are very excited and everything is coming at us so fast, but it’s also extremely wonderful.

As a genealogist, this has another layer of joy for me. Now, officially, my tree and my wife’s tree are merged into one. Now when I do research on her tree, I’m actually doing it for my own child. They will come into this world with a pretty solid family tree already made for them. I’ve now ruined any fun and mystery they may find looking into their family history (haha.)

6 Weeks

From my wife’s description: I know, it’s hard to decipher this thing. Heck, it’s tough for me and it’s my baby’s first screenshot! (Well, it is a screenshot”¦) The big round part is NOT the baby, it’s the yolk sac. The tiny little blur between the arrows is the baby at 6 weeks. We’re 6 more beyond that and it has grown, but we haven’t had a new ultrasound yet. We did hear the heartbeat for the first time this week though!

Well, we’re taking this one day at a time and the mother is doing great. Completely prepared and also scared out of my mind of things to come, but in a good way.