Doesn’t that look exciting! These amazing letters were found in the basement of the Mishawaka Library. The librarian in charge of the genealogy/history section sent me a message about volunteering with these as well as other items she recently pulled up from the basement. Today I dug in. It’s uncertain who donated the letters but they were all written by one man writing to his wife from 1943-1945. I believe he wrote nearly every day (as you can tell by the stacks of letters!) and every letter started with Darling (I find that sweet!) I can’t wait to get more into these letters and see what they have in them.
If you’re in or near the St. Joseph County, Indiana area, here are the genealogical events happening this week!
24 November 2014 – Monday – 7-8:30pm – South Bend Area Genealogical Society meeting at Sunnyside Presbyterian Chuch (115 S. Frances St. South Bend, IN 46617) – the meeting will have a presentation titled “A Tale of Two Colonels” by John Hundley, a member of Sons of the American Revolution.
25 November 2014 – Tuesday – 7-8:30pm – Twigs from the Tree of Life meeting at Christ the King Lutheran Church (17195 Cleveland Rd, South Bend, IN) – the meeting is titled “Online Educational Resources for Every Genealogist” and will be presented by me 🙂 It will be about online tutorials, lessons, classes, courses, lessons, institutes, and conferences that can be taken or registered for online.
World War I has been talked about more than I ever remember this year for its 100 year anniversary. Because I have a direct ancestor that died during World War I whom I know little about, I have a much bigger interest in that war than in others. My great-great grandfather, Frederick Langeneck, died while fighting for Austria-Hungary.(1)
I don’t know much about him. He came to America about 1907 (2) and stayed in Pennsylvania where he married Theresa Kibel (also from Austria Hungary) on 17 Jan 1910. (3) Six months later, his son, my great-grandfather named Frederick (Jr?), was born. (4) That makes me wonder if they married because she was pregnant or if they had planned on getting married anyway.
Sometime shortly after his son was born, they moved back to Austria-Hungary. Maybe there was the rumblings of war that made him return? I’m not sure. I do know another son, Karl, was born while they lived there but that Karl died sometime while there as well (so says the family rumor and the fact that he isn’t with his mother and brother in 1920 or ever again). (5)
Theresa and Frederick Jr. returned to the United States in 1920 and went to Michigan where her parents and siblings had moved to from Pennsylvania. (6) She was marked as a widow on the passenger list.
That’s all I for sure know about Frederick. I wish I knew more. Sadly, Langeneck is a popular name in that area and so is Frederick so I haven’t been able to pinpoint his parents or siblings. Also, the records are in German and I have had some help with the translation but so far, nothing that has told me more.
I had heard the story about the Christmas Truce during World War I and I saw this video today. It’s based on real letters and diaries that describe that time. Although this video is a chocolate advertisement, the history and story behind this made me tear up. I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe my great-great grandpa was a part of this and wonder what he saw that night.
I love that stories from World War I are getting a bit more notice right now.
Here’s the video, tell me what you think :
1)“Verlustliste Ausgegeben Am,” 9 June 1916, vol. 1916, periodical, Kramerius National Library of the Czech Republic, Kramerius National Library of the Czech Republic (http://kramerius.nkp.cz : accessed 13 Oct 2013), Friedrich Langneck, p. 32
2) “New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957,” database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 Feb 2014), entry for Friedrich Lenzeuck, aboard Kroonland, Antwerp, Belgium to New York, New York, arriving 5 Mar 1907; citing Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957; Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, National Archives at Washington D.C. microfilm publication T715, roll 0838.
3) Mercer County, Pennsylvania, Marriage License Docket 11:10755, 1910, Fred Longenick and Teresia Kibel, recorded license; County Clerk’s Office, Mercer; index and digital image, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : accessed 13 Nov 2014), FHL 004838956.
4)Frederick Langeneck, birth certificate [short form] no. 123372-1910 (1910), Pennsylvania Department of Health – Vital Records, Harrisburg.
5) Evangelical Church (Nova Pazova, Serbia), Central State Archive Stuttgart Taufen (Baptisms) 1900-1939, Karl Langeneck baptism (1916), FHL microfilm 1340294.
6) “New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957,” database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 Feb 2014), entry for Terezia Langenek, aboard Caronia, Cherbourg to New York, New York, leaving 20 Dec 1920; citing Supplemental Manifests of Alien Passengers and Crew Members Who Arrived on Vessels at New York, New York, Who Were Inspected for Admission, and Related Index, compiled 1887-1952; Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service 1787-2004, National Archives at Washington D.C. microfilm publication T715, roll 2901, image 1138.
Some of you may already know about the 5-Minute Find Series on Ancestry’s YouTube channel, but I just found out about it this past week.
One of the genealogy groups I belong to hosts a different class about once a month on a topic of the participants choosing (which is decided in advance of course). This past one was 5 minute finds and I was surprised at how much information you can get in just five minutes!
The 5-Minute Finds Series is hosted by Ancestry so it does have to do with Ancestry’s records. Most people have access to these records through either their own subscription or through their library but I realize it’s not everyone’s go-to source. I use Ancestry quite often so I found this series to be useful. Some items I had already figured out through classes, forums, blogs, doing it myself, etc. but I do believe there is probably something for everyone in this series!
You can check it out here to see the list of 5-Minute Find videos.
I have some big news! I have officially started my own business! It’s called Copper Leaf Genealogy. Why the name? At the NGS conference last May, I happened to buy a copper leaf necklace. The necklace is a reminder to me of my new career choice and represents my hopes for my career. So, I named my business with that in mind.
One of the blogging prompts on geneabloggers today is about Motivation and setting some genealogy goals. With my new business in mind, here are some of my goals (in no particular order):
Create an “elevator pitch” so I have something to go to when people ask me about my business
Start marketing myself by getting out there and doing some presentations for groups
Find a professional genealogist mentor
Continue my own family research with the thought of writing articles on them
Continue my education by attending conferences, reading journals, etc.
Begin creating presentations that I can bring to libraries for beginning genealogists
Continue networking with other genealogists to get ideas and advice from others who have been there
Continue working toward certification by taking ProGen (still on the waiting list!), writing articles, and doing presentations
Can you believe that this has been just a bit over a year? It was a year earlier this month! There is so much that I have done and learned through this process and I want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone out there who has read my posts, commented, and given some wonderful advice.
I am looking forward to what will be coming next! 🙂
