1 John KARPAN/KRPAN m. Anna SULENTICH

2 Jakov/Jacob/Jack (1880, Croatia -betw/ 1920-1925) m. Monda MILITIC(1889, Croatia - 1942¹; dau of Tom Miletich and Margaret Marich), m. 1910², Albia, IA.³

3 Jackie

3 Annie (15 Feb 1908- May 1974, Woodward, Dallas, IA) m. Matt Cetina, m2 Itlo ZAGNOLI

4 ZAGNOLI, Anna “Bila” m. Kenneth WINEGARDNER

5 WINEGARDNER, Catherine m. David JONES

6 JONES, Joseph

6 JONES, Michael

6 JONES, Nicholas

5 WINEGARDNER, Mary m. Walter WAY

6 WAY, Holly

6 WAY, Rebecca

5 WINEGARDNER, Patricia m. Daryl SIX

6 SIX, Ryan

4 ZAGNOLI, Joe m. Maryaln PROUSE

5 ZAGNOLI, Theresa

4 ZAGNOLI, Mary Mazie m1 Irvin IMHOFF, m2 Rubin SNYDER

5 IMHOFF, Melodee

5 SNYDER, Lucinda

5 SNYDER, Melinda

3 Louie (18 Oct 1910- 6 Sep 1988, Melcher, IA) m. Virginia Irene NELSON

4 Lou “Tojo”

4 Shirley “Shookie” m. Fred SELLE

5 SELLE, Pauli m. Unknown KARPAN

6 Kimberly

5 SELLE, Ric

3 Mary “Beba” (1910-?, IA) m. Marko CERETI, m2 Kenneth PRITCHARD

4 PRITCHARD, Gladys Tootsie C

4 PRITCHARD, Jack

3 John (8 Sep 1912-?, MO)

3 Catherine Gerri (1915-?, IA) m Harold DUBUQUE (1914-?; s. Clazena and Ethel M (Croutcher) Dubuque)

4 DUBUQUE, Marla Frances m. (m)1, Luigi GUIDO, m2 Ishmael GUERRA

5 GUERRA, David Guido

4 DUBUQUE, Ronnie H m. Donna Joy LUNDGREN

5 DUBUQUE, Adam Steven

5 DUBUQUE, Duke A. m. Beth Unknown

6 DUBUQUE, Hanna

6 DUBUQUE, Joshua

3 Frances Scarlet (1917-?, Melcher, Marion, IA) m. Otto GUENTHER (1899-?)

4 GUENTHER, Bob

4 GUENTHER, Richard

3 Matthew Joseph (b.18 Dec 1918, Melcher, Marion, IA, d.5-Jun-2000, Hudson,FL) m. Lucile MERRIMAN (b.1922, Collingwood, Ontario, Canada)

4 Madelaine Jill (b. 1946, IL, d.1998, FL) m. Robert F COLLINS (1946-?)

5 COLLINS, Living m. Living BRESLIN

6 COLLINS, Living

6 COLLINS, Living

5 COLLINS, Living m1 Living SANCHEZ, m2 Living Wood

5 COLLINS, Living m. Living ANDERSON

4 Kimberly Eve m Anthony Jacovino, m2 Louis KRAMER, m3 James NIHOFF (common law), m4 Darryl L BEHM

5 KRAMER, Michele m TERRANOVA

6 TERRANOVA, Living

5 KRAMER, Erica

5 KRAMER, Louis Jr

4 Jack M m1 Christina STEWART, m2 Megan DILLARD

5 Lauren

5 Joey

5 Danny

4 Daniel J

3 Mike “Marko” (25 Apr 1920 – 25 Jun 1981, Dade, FL) m. Ardina Unknown (16- Jan-1917, WI – Jul 1983, LA)

4 Michael m. unknown spouse

5 Alita

3 Gladys (1925-?) m. Joe CAMPIONE

4 CAMPIONE, Jack

4 CAMPIONE, Joe, Jr

2 Joso/Joseph (19 Mar 1888, Sveti Roc, Lovinac, Croatia- Jan 1973, Knoxville, Marion, IA) m. Lena Shipko (1892, Russia – 1956)

3 Joseph S (1914-?)

3 Anna (1916-?)

3 Thomas W (1918-1988)

3 George Florian (1921-2007) m. Doris (Knoxville IA)

2 Marija m. Unknown Spouse

3 Anna

3 Maria

3 Monda

3 Kata

2 Matt (1873 - ?; emi. In 1907) m. Kata VRKLJAN/VRKLAN (1884-1974)

3 Ante/Anthony m. Kata Unknown

4 Anna

4 Dane

4 Dave

4 Ivan

4 Josip

4 Kata m. Steve SARICH

5 SARICH, Greg

5 SARICH, Maria m. Joso VIDOKOVICH

6 VIDOKOVICH, Suzanna

5 SARICH, Steve, Jr m. Janice ACTON

6 SARICH, Lorisa

6 SARICH, Steve, III

5 SARICH, Tony m. Susan SVONAR

6 SARICH, Christina

6 SARICH, Michael

6 SARICH, Nicholas

4 Marko

4 Mate

4 Roko

3 Eka

3 Luke m. Olga Unknown

4 Dragon

3 Manda m. Ivo ZOUNIC

4 ZOUNIC, Anna

4 ZOUNIC, Franjo

4 ZOUNIC, Jose

4 ZOUNIC, Kata

4 ZOUNIC, Stipe

3 Perq m. Anna MILETIC

4 Drajica m. Stipe GLAVACIC

5 GLAVACIC, Maria

5 GLAVACIC, Mario

5 GLAVACIC, Pere

4 Ika

4 Marica

2 Vrane

2 Peter (1873-?) ⁴

SURNAME LIST:

ACTON, ANDERSON, BEHM, BRESLIN, CAMPIONE, CERETI, COLLINS, CROUTCHER, DILLARD, DUBUQUE, GLAVACIC, GUENTHER, GUERRA, GUIDO, IMHOFF, JACOVINO, JONES, KARPAN, KRAMER, KRPAN, LUNDGREN, MARICH, MILETIC, MILITIC, NIHOFF, PRITCHARD, PROUSE, SANCHEZ, SARICH, SIX, SELLE, SNYDER, SULENTICH, STEWART, SVONAR, TERRANOVA, VIDOKOVICH, VRKLJAN/VRKLAN, WAY, WINEGARDNER, ZAGNOLI, ZOUNIC

TRANSLATION OF CROATIAN FIRST NAMES:

Ante = Anthony                                                              Beba = ?

Dane = ?                                                                         Bila = ?

Franjo = Francis                                                              Draga = ?

Ivo= Johnny                                                                   Drajica = ?

Jakov = Jacob or James                                                  Ika = ?

Joso = Joseph                                                                 Kata = Kathryn

Marko = Mark                                                                Marica = ?

Mate = Matt                                                                    Marija = Mary/Maria

Pavao = Paul

Pere/Pero = Peter

Roko = ?

Stipe = ?

Stjepan = Steven

Toma = Thomas

Vrane = ?

FOOTNOTES:

]]> http://wedothatinidaho.wordpress.com/?p=44 Sat, 26 Jul 2008 03:41:12 +0000 wedothatinidaho http://wedothatinidaho.wordpress.com/?p=44 Click here to see what newspapers were added for searching today! I use this all the time for all of my historical research. This is a great, great, great tool.

http://blog.genealogybank.com/2008/07/genealogybank-adding-newspapers-from-22.html

Here's my list:

#1. My drink of choice is COLD Pepsi - No ice.

#2. I love children's art.

#3. I display my children's artwork on a wall in my office.

#4. I volunteer two mornings a month in the Art room at my kid's school.

#5. The Art teacher wishes I had my teaching degree because I would have been a better sub then some of the subs she had last year!

#6. The Art teacher is one of my best friends!

#7. The Art teacher's dd is the youngest person I know that is fighting Breast Cancer at the age of 22.  She was diagnosed two years ago, was in remission but the cancer came back last October.

#8. I volunteer at least 15 hours a week during the school year, between my kids' school and the community work I do.

#9. I LOVE kindergarten.  I volunteered in kindergarten at least 2 hours a week last year and will again this year and I don't even have a kindergartener anymore!

#10. My eldest is 14 years old and a freshmen this fall.

#11. He has a girlfriend named Danika.

#12. He volunteers at the zoo every summer.  He just finished a two week stint on the Z-team for a total of 40 hours.

#13. He is happy to be home after spending two weeks at a friend's house that was closer to the zoo and was a great help as I didn't have to drive him there and pick him up every day.

#14. My eldest daughter is a photography diva and a jr, girl scout.

#15. She is also an amazing baker! You have got to try her peanut butter chocolate chip cookies!

#16. She also reads incessentaly.

#17. She is 10 and a half (that half is IMPORTANT) and entering the 5th grade.

#18. My third child, my 9 year old son, is my favorite 9 year old in the world!

#19. He is my athlete.  He plays soccer, golf, and basketball.

#20. He is also a Cub Scout.

#21. He will be entering 4th grade in 3 1/2 weeks.

#22. He plays a MEAN guitar on Guitar Hero!

#23. He has beautiful blue eyes and gorgeous blond hair!

#24. My baby is 7 1/2 years old and in 2nd grade.

#25. She is a bundle of uncontrollable energy and sometimes can be VERY bossy.

#26. and that bossiness does not endear her to her siblings some days!

#27. But she is a little cutie and a brownie girl scout.

#28. We are all avid readers!

#29. We have have so many books in this house that we've been accused of owning a small library!

#30. My library card is the most used card in my wallet.

#31. I've had a library card since I was 6 years old.

#32. My children get their first library cards on their 5th birthdays.

#34. I hate folding laundry.

#35. I love to try new recipes!

#36. unfortunately my children are not all that keen on trying new foods and meals.

#37. I LOVE cheesecake - any kind.  My favorite tho is Carmel Apple Cheescake.

#38. I fell in love with the property we built our home on because of the mature trees, lilac bushes and apple trees.  It helped a lot that it was a real steal financially too!

#39. I love dogs - we have a pug named Shadow who is approaching her 10th birthday.

#40. Shadow is my hero and my youngest daughter's best friend.

#41. Ask me someday about WHY Shadow is my hero.

#42. I don't like cats - we have an American short hair named Meepo who is roughly 3 years old.

#43. He is my husband's cat.

#44. But WHO cleans the litter box when it's needed?

#45. My favorite flowers are lilies of any sort.  Thus the header on this blog.  Those are my tiger lilies.

#46. I love the theatre and acting.  I don't do much of it anymore but I do love helping out with the productions at my kids' schools.

#47. I LOVE Grey's Anatomy.

#48. I watch religiously even in the off season!

#49. I'm the eldest of 6 children.

#50. I have 2 sisters

#51. and 3 brothers.

#52. I also have 5 foster siblings.  2 boys and 3 girls.  All of these foster siblings are also my cousins.

#53. I haven't worked outside my home in 13+ years.

#54. I'm applying for jobs at the elementary school my children attend.

#55. I've been scrapbooking for over 15 years.

#56. I talk to my eldest sister almost everyday.

#57. She is a "gypsy" so to speak.  She works for a company that travels around the country fixing storm damage to cars, vans, trucks and such.

#58. I talk to my baby brother at least once a week.

#59. He is 13 years younger then me.

#60.  I talk to my mom and dad almost everyday.

#61. I LOVE chocolate.

#62. Especially DeBrand's Chocolate.

#63. I graduated college 17 years ago with a degree in Communications and a minor in English.

#64.  I SHOULD have gotten my teaching degree.

#65.  I know quite a bit of Sign language. I taught myself.

#66.  I don't know ANY other foreign language.  It wasn't required when I was in highschool.

#67. However, from growing up in the midst of a big Finnish community I can cuss in Finn if I wanted too.

#68. I homeschooled my eldest child from preschool through 2nd grade.

#69. None of my children had any preschool before kindergarten, beyond what I did at home with them.

#70. I'm extremely thrifty.  Okay I'm cheap.  I revel in the challenge to find the best deals!

#71. Oh more pets - We also have two gerbils named Judy and Annie after two of my eldest daughters favorite book characters, Judy Moody and Annie in the Magic Treehouse Series.

#72. I've picked 15 zucchini of my 6 plants so far this summer!

#73. My tomatoes have not produced anything ripe yet.

#74. My husband brought me home roses last night.  For no reason whatsoever.

#75. My hubby won't believe this but he truly is the best thing that's ever happened to me.

#76. I have trouble sleeping alone.

#77. On those nights I tend to sit up either on the computer or scrapbooking.

#78. I think my dog has fleas.  ---YUCK!!!

#79. I've only been consistently blogging for about a week.

#80. I LOVE making the gifts we give.  I feel it's so much more personal.

#81. My grandmother, rest her soul, picked out my wedding dress.

#82. I was devastated when she died, knowing that my children would not get to meet their great grandmother.

#83. I don't like cleaning.  I do it but I don't like it.  Ah to hire a housekeeper!

#84. I love working outside tho.  I love mowing the lawn and taking care of the gardens and trees.

#85. I love birds - especially birds of prey like hawks, eagles, and owls.

#86. I would rather wear mittens then gloves.

#87. The only jewelry I wear all the time are my wedding and engagement rings.

#88.  I have a 3 ring zippered binder that my kids call "Mom's Brain."

#89. It has a calendar, and a separate section for each of my children as well as sections for the kindergarten literacy program that I'm in charge of at school.  If it doesn't get put on the calendar in my "brain" it doesn't happen.

#90. I love playing games with my family.

#91.  I hate visiting the doctor.

#92. I hate going to the dentist

#93. I love genealogy and that's what excited me about scrapbooking to begin with.

#94. My aunt has traced my mom's side of the family back to President Nixon, and back to Europe.

#95. I love listening to church congregations sing from hymnals - especially the old hymns.

#96. My computer desk top is a disaster zone.

#97. My scrapping corner however is quite neat and tidy.

#98. I love fresh veggies right out of the garden - especially sweet corn and zucchini.

#99. I love strawberries and apples picked fresh.

#100. I believe the true hero of The Lord of the Rings is Sam - Not Frodo.

#101. Right now I have 112 items checked out from the public library!

Okay I should stop now - I could go on, but I did say just 101 random things, not 201.

Blessings,

Garsy

I hadn't even thought to look on the wife's side of the family, at least at this point in time, so this was a completely unexpected, and fruitful find. It turns out Seth and Harriet were testifying for her mother, who was trying to receive her late husband's pension. Harriet and her siblings were mentioned in the file, along with their birth dates, as well as the children from Harriet's dad's first marriage. So I got a lot of information from that particular find.

Quilting has recently come to my mind because we are expecting a baby, and a quilts made by family members are now in progress-- or complete. A few days ago I received a package from my out-of-state grandmother containing handmade bedding for our baby. We received a different blanket from her in the mail several months ago even before the pregnancy. I was surprised (and touched) both times to think she would go to the effort of making and sending them to me. First of all, she is in her mid-eighties and sewing of any kind can't be very comfortable to perform. Second, I have some idea of how difficult her own experience as a young mother was. She had extreme morning sickness with each of her six children and began to suffer from emotional and mental illness in her twenties. And last, I realize that she has so many great-grandchildren at this point that it would seem impossible to keep track of and send handmade gifts to them all. She can have little hope of getting to know them all, let alone witnessing them grow up. Yet, as I reflect further on her choice to send such gifts to me, I see many reasons why creating such a gift might prove meaningful enough to her to go to the effort. Quilting, I find, can be understood as an act that expresses hope:

1. Quilting can be seen as an expression of hope for future events in the lives of others and a way of celebrating these events even before they take place. My grandmother made the first blanket hoping that we would someday have a use for it. If your mother makes a quilt for each child to be used during marriage, I would suggest that part of what she is doing is expressing her hope and faith that you will prepare for and and seek out a good spouse.

2. Quilting is a way of expressing continued hope in the quilter's own life. By encouraging me as I become a mother, my grandmother seems to show that she continues to have faith in the importance of motherhood and the joy it can bring. This late and difficult phase of her own life doesn't overpower the joy or significance of the event to her. Her own painful experiences as a young mother also don't appear to reduce her desire/ability to express such hope and joy on my behalf-- in fact, they seem to amplify her reasons for creating such a gift. My grandmother might be said to have hope she can have positive impact on my experience, even to help make my experience in early marriage and motherhood happier than her own.

3. Quilting is a way of reaching out to posterity, even those one may never meet. This is an example of how the hearts of the fathers turn to the children, and vice versa. I will be able to tell our daughter who her baby blankets were made by. Even if she never meets my grandmother, I expect she will be able to sense how the gift expresses the sacrifice and love my grandmother offered at the event of her birth. For many families, inherited quilts serve as reminders of ancestors family members have never met. Today, it would be easy for mothers and grandmothers to buy factory made quilts rather than make them, but the act of making them oneself is a way to personalize what they pass down-- they invest time and themselves into the gift itself just as they do in family relationships.

4. Quilting can be a way of turning loss and mourning specifically into hope for future reunions and joyful events. Quilting a baby blanket for my (then) college-aged sister was a coping strategy for me after we were separated. It allowed me to hope for events I would later enjoy with her while also showing how much I missed her. Seeking to fulfill the (future) needs of others or to comfort others is a way of responding to one's own losses and suffering (an experience which helps one be sensitive to others' needs/suffering). A quilt is a gift that is particularly designed to physically comfort someone else.

What I have suggested about quilting is true of many other handmade crafts (and things that we do for others with our hands in general). Thus, all of this is not to say that quilting is essential to women in LDS culture. It's just one common manifestation of how the faith of LDS women (and men) is evident in the ways they choose to shape the lives of their families.

[For a somewhat related post by Candice on Mayan weaving, click here.]

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Being a quarter Cork, I decided to avail of the Cork North & East service and examine two of my main Cork surnames, both of which are relatively rare - Smiddy (could be a Catholic offcast of a branch of the Smithwicks, or maybe a Scottish name, no-one seems to know for sure) and Beausang (lots of fancy stories about this, most involving France, naturally enough - previously Boozan, Bouzane, Boosean and whole host of further variants!)

The first thing I did was check out all the first names in each of the Censuses. Being now entirely won over by the phenomenon that is word-clouds, I made a cloud of Smiddy 1901 Census first names from Cork, you can preview it below, or click on the link to see the full details.

Plain old John and Mary lead the way - no surprises there - followed by Patrick, Timothy, Maurice, Thomas and Michael for the men, and Catherine, Bridget, Margaret and Johanna for the ladies. Of all the names, only Timothy and Maurice stand out for being particularly family-related - all the others are very common 19th century Catholic names altogether.

I did the same for Beausang and all its variants here:

In the Beausang clan, poor old John is dumped off top spot by James, although Mary continues to dominate the ladies. William, Patrick, Michael and Thomas are still there - but sure enough, no sign (well hardly any) of Timothy or Maurice and instead Richard features. James and Richard would be expected to be there, given their prominence in the 1820s/1830s Tithe Allotment returns and again in the Griffith's Valuation returns.

What I found fascinating, though, is the presence of Anastasia/Anastatia on both lists. The 1901 Census was conducted just as Irish society was connecting to the wider world in a less step-shift way than permanent emigration. Looking a the full database in my extended family tree, international communications seem to have caused a revolution in naming from the late 19th Century in Ireland. New names enter families as the old Irish naming procedure was replaced by a desire for the unusual. I must check up on which royal family boasted an Anastasia in the 1890s - presumably the Romanovs? - to inspire Cork-based copycats!

I've also wordled up the parishes where they lived, so I know which parish records to go back and have a look at. I did it for both the 1901 and 1911 censuses, for both surnames. Here's Smiddy, 1901:

And here's Smiddy, 1911.

Here's Beausang, 1901:

And here's Beausang, 1911:

I'm a bit sceptical about making comparisons across time based on the IFHF census records, as I don't believe that all Beausangs and Smiddys based in St. Mary's - presumably St. Mary's Shandon - moved from there to Youghal on the Cork-Waterford border between 1901 and 1911. Much more likely, I should think, is that not all civil parish returns are there for both years. We'll have to play the waiting game on that one, but in the meantime

As you can see, there's a huge overlap between the two surnames, particularly in the four civil parishes furthest east on Cork's coast - Ightermurragh, Kilmacdonogh, Clonpriest and Youghal - home incidentally to all our Anastasias!

KINGSTON HOUSE, the seat of William Morton PITT, Esq. M. P. is an elegant and stately pile, the walls of which are built with brick, and cased with Portland stone. It was built by George Pitt, Esq. of Stratfield Say, which was commenced in the year 1717, and finished about 1720. It is very pleasantly situated on a rising ground near the great western road, distant from Dorchester one mile and a quarter. The form is an oblong square, 101 feet by 62, and is surrounded by avenues of trees, which, in every quarter, render the views agreeable and romantic. The gardens behind the house are pleasant and extensive, adorned with terraces, a large bason, and canals ; and, from a branch of the river Frome running near it, there is a plentiful supply of water.

Old headstones made into a fence for the walk along a graveyard in Moravia.

We are not sure where these headstones came from. Many of the names carved into this line of stones are written in Hebrew.

Presumably, these markers were re-purposed during World War II.

Many graveyards in central European towns are several layers thick with bodies of the dead.  For example at the Jewish Cemetery in the ancient Prague ghetto people were buried up to thirteen layers deep. There was very little room given to them so they did what they had to do.

We would like someone to make rubbings of the stones. We can then translate them into English to furthur our hopes of tracing the families of the dead.

On July 24th Utah celebrates Pioneer Day or the Days of 47 which commemorates the entrance of the Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley. Whatever one may think of the theology of the Mormons or as they are correctly called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the trek of the Mormon pioneers is one of the epic journeys of faith in recorded history.

Facing religious and political persecution, the pioneers were driven from state to state and eventually found refuge in the Rocky Mountains. From these humble beginnings, a modern worldwide church has emerged and is now projected in the next 50-100 years at its present growth rate to emerge as the next great world religion.

The following are videos that cover some of the story and background of the pioneers and their trek to the west and also some of the fundamental beliefs of the church.

The Church's Official website:  www.lds.org

'

This headstone appears to bear a carved symbol which may be the Masonic Keystone, which is the Masonic mark of an Ancient Grand Master or it may be a Celtic Cross.

This photo is part of our investigation into a group of hand-carved grave markers we discovered in the forests of Brunswick County.

There are approximately 40 graves in this area.  Most of the wooden markers have succumbed to the elements and are only small strips of cedar rising from the ground.

Among the rare remaining wood grave markers are two head stones made of carved a light colored rock (pictured above). This ancient cemetery is hidden in the countryside of Brunswick County, North Carolina. This spot is a long-lost memorial we hope to preserve.

There are a number of undocumented cemeteries throughout the lower Cape Fear.

Mapping these locations and saving local history is a project Azio Media continues to support.

This is a useful site for grave marker symbolism: http://www.graveaddiction.com/symbol.html

Well it seems my designation is to be that of Lead Tailor, and of course it is true that I'm the one who does the sewing. I suspect however, that my title is largely due to the fact that I'm the only one who can man the serger. No easy task I'm told...

I have always loved to sew and create "things" so this project is just up my alley. Costume making is one of my favourite past times and attention to detail and authenticity is very important to me. When my son David's interest in the British Royal Navy became apparent to me, the thought of creating a "Royal Navy Captain's Uniform" began to take root in my head. Soon he and I were planning and scheming and searching the world over for the proper materials. We wanted to make as original as possible a reproduction of such an early 1800s uniform. It has been so much fun, that we are planning a number of other costumes for other members of the family as well!

As a historian I'm largely self taught, having acquired an appreciation of history and genealogy from time spent in discussions with my father and other family members around the kitchen table when I was growing up. The importance of history, and that of my family's place and cultural background within it, are deeply ingrained in me. Today, as they say, I am the keeper of the family pages on both sides of the tree, and I'm happy to know that when I'm gone both my children are capable of picking up the threads I've left them.

I am far removed from the origins of my own family history, having been born in the Netherlands; however, my husband's family roots are firmly planted into the Canadian soil, and they certainly were among the pioneers of this country. There were many seafaring men among them, both in the form of Ship's Captains, Merchantmen, even a few impressed Royal Navy Service men, and in more recent times in service to the Canadian Navy during times of war.  Some were born at sea, a number of them were laid to rest there, and most lived their lives within a short distance from and within the confines of her shores and tides.

Almost three hundred years of Maritime history has been deeply embedded into the souls of this family, and you just can't walk away from that, now can ye? Hence this project and what it represents.

but i have a problem with all of this ethno-characterization. i'm expected to honor my irish and austrian heritage, which ultimately duke it out in the roman catholic arena of my upbringing as well. but my bloodline doesn't stop there. i'm 50% irish, but i'm only 25% austrian. guess i forgot to mention i've never known my fraternal grandfather on my mom's side. guess i also forgot to mention he was lebanese...and muslim. yep, i'm 25% lebanese. what's more, is this comes as a complete shock to anyone i mention this apparent anomaly to.

this is my grandfather, khalil. obviously, i won't post his full name for the sake that i think he's still alive. he lived in beirut for years after my mom and grandma fled to the US and presumably moved around the middle east - he was an oil engineer. rumor has it, he was killed in a bombing in algiers. i don't think he's dead. i can't prove it, but i can't disprove it either. i remember growing up knowing literally nothing about him. my grandma has refused my attempts to know him through her since i found out many years ago her current husband isn't my fraternal grandfather. don't get me wrong, i love him and he's the only grandfather i've ever known on my mom's side, but even when i was little, i knew i wasn't italian. my mom always played off being italian. she has very dark, kinky hair and olive skin. i'm pale as a ghost and have red hair. however, she's the spitting image of him and i have more of his physical traits than i thought.

fast forward at least a good ten years to my first year at depaul. from the start, i met two kids at our "premiere" that were of lebanese lineage. ali is the one i'll remember the most. even though i shared a meager common ethnicity with them, i knew nothing of it let alone the customs shared. they asked me, how the hell could i go around telling people i was of lebanese heritage and know nothing about it. the situation was too complicated to explain to them at the time and i eventually lost touch; something i regret to this day. i couldn't find a way to tell them that i wanted to find out about myself through them. considering i looked nothing like them and had the "whitest" name possible, it was tough not only relating to them, but also talking to them after a while. fast forward another three years and here we are. my mom and dad divorced and i'm able to actually attempt to explore my middle-eastern lineage. however, i'm no stranger to "islamophobia" that currently has a grip on the US. my mom endured over twenty years of prejudice from my father who ultimately forbade me from recognizing the heritage i shared with my mom. if he knew i had a tattoo on my arm of my grandfather's name in arabic, he'd disown me in a second...or at least stop paying half of my college tuition.

i guess my ultimate goal right now is to learn at least a little arabic and, hopefully, travel to beirut before i'm out of college. what's the difference? i learned german and some gaelic...i see no reason not to know arabic. i've always gone against the grain in terms of intellectualism. i get that from my "mother's father" as my grandma so begrudgingly puts it when i challenge her socio-political beliefs. ironically, neither me nor my mom got any math skills...his "fault" too, which makes no sense considering he was an engineer.

dead or not, i'd like to know him first-hand. i hope he's still alive, and if he is, that he'd want to meet me, and my mom again. i guess the moral to my story is that you can be desensitized to heritage or ethnicity. i look predominantly irish - as rightfully so - therefore i fit that niche. i could easily pass off my austrian heritage as well, removed only by name through marriage. but the lebanese is so subdued no one would ever assume otherwise. i lived my entire life with the same identity crisis my mother endured...the difference is that i'll find out eventually.

Edward married Mildred Boyle about 1804 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. Mildred was born on 22 Dec 1781 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. She died in 1846 in Portage County, Ohio.

They had the following children:

James Adams was born in 1806 in Virginia. He died about 1859 in North Carolina.
Helen Adams was born in 1809 in Virginia. She died on 31 Aug 1880 in Brunswick County, North Carolina.
Virginia Adams was born on 9 Jan 1812 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia.
Sarah Adams was born about 1814 in Portage County, Ohio. She died circa 1879 in Virginia.
Esther Adams was born in 1817 in Ohio. She died on 25 Jan 1889 in North Carolina.
Agnes Adams was born circa 1821 in Portage County, Ohio. She died on 18 Dec 1866 in Brunswick County, North Carolina.
Grace Adams was born during 1821 in Ohio. She died in 1880 in North Carolina.
William Adams was born during 1824 in Ohio. He died in 1865 in Brunswick County, North Carolina.
Isabella Adams was born on 2 Apr 1828 in Portage County, Ohio. She died on 12 May 1862 in Indiana.
Barbara R. Adams was born in 1830 in Portage County, Ohio. She died about 1865 in Brunswick County, North Carolina.

The Saints Helen and Constantine Greek Orthodox church is where Mike's mom grew up, along with all the Greek family on her side. Her father (my husband's "papouli" or Greek grandfather) and mother (Mike's "yiayia" or Greek grandmother) were members, and volunteered every year for the festival before yiayia passed away.

There was Greek dancing (the zorba dance among others was performed and plates were broken -OPA!) and gyros, athenian chicken, and the ouzo was flowing like water. I got a little choked up watching everyone from middle aged ladies to cassocked priests to toddlers putting arms around each others shoulders and performing the step-oriented dances while smiling and laughing.

It was beautiful to see traditions and customs from a culture so old to be carried out and celebrated in the American midwest by people so far removed from their origins. It wrenches my heart a little to realize that I had no such enrichment as a child. My father, when prompted to answer about our ancestors or heritage, would respond "we're Americans" and huff off to smoke his pipe and watch Rush Limbaugh.

My mother would tell me about her family's names, and what country they came from, but that was about all the information I could get from either of them.

I longed for that sort of information to be passed on to me, as a kid. Somehow it seemed that knowing where your ancestors came here from, essentially where you came from, made a person special. The world is a fascinating place, and the different cultures that have sprung up all over the globe really do fascinate me. But living in a place where so many of those cultures have come together and been re-written, disenfranchised, or smothered with non-regional dialect and behavior gets depressing sometimes. I feel, as an American, that whatever culture we do have (hotdogs? baseball? apple pie?) is so vague and commecialized that it lacks that ancient feel, that sacredness of tradition most of the time.

Sure, I wipe away a tear when I can afford to go to a live sporting event where the anthem is sung. Every fourth of July I think of my father and his father and the veterans and soldiers and philosophers who made this country what it is by their thinking and common sense and bloodshed. But every single one of those nostalgic experiences is tempered by the knowledge that this country we live in, that allows us the freedoms we have and the quality of life we expect these days, wasn't always ours. Someone in my family, many someones, at some point decided that America sounded like a great place to be. Somebody made the journey from wherever they were to here, and toughed it out as an immigrant with a family. Whoever those someone's were, they had traditions from somewhere else ingrained into them. They knew a place that was before America, before capitalism, and before multi-media centers and $8.00 bottles of water and $26 folding chairs on the lawn at an outdoor rock concert.

I want to know what those traditions were. What blood flows in my veins, and why do I fight a lump in my throat every time I hear a bagpipe blowing? How in the hell did I start to crave sauerkraut on my bratwurst?

America is beautiful, and there are really only a handful of other places I'd be willing to live at this point in my life... but I'm going to do my best to teach my boys about the rich cultures of their ancestors, even if I have to treat it like a research assignment.

Manuel Obaya Martinez (or Oballa, Ovalla, Ovaya not sure on the spelling) born 1880

Eloisa Rojo Martinez born 1888

Felipa Martinez born 1887

Esteban Rojo born 1855

Maria Reana born 1865

Rosendo Martinez born 1905

I do have more information on them, I'm just hoping to get their names out there in hopes someone else knows of them.

So I spent part of the weekend looking for Rachel - she is (or was) technically my great-great aunt.  My maternal grandfather's, mom's sister.  All I knew about Rachel is the year she was born and that at the time of my great-grandmother's death in 1930 she was listed on the obituary as Mrs. Rachel Givens from Missouri.  No one knew what her husband's name was and typically at that period of time if a woman is listed as Mrs. (her name) Surname - that generally means they were widowed or divorced.  Awhile back I finally found her in the 1900 census living in Kansas City, Missouri with her husband, Morris and 2 step-sons, William and Wheeler, and a 1 yr old daughter - (looked like) Shawn.  So yesterday after realizing that I was going to have to spread the net out a little trying to find her in the 1910 or 1920 censuses, I started using variations of the Givens.  Finally after I spelled it without the "s" on the end, I found Rachel and Maurice (spelled differently) in 1910 about the same place they were in 1900.  This time there were additional children.  Wheeler was now listed as Charles W., "Shawn" was no where to be found but Mary (about the same age as "Shawn" would have been) was there along with a son, Nathaniel and a son Arthur A., and twin daughters, Pearl and Mearl.  Rachel had listed that she was the mother of 6 children but only 5 were living - so somewhere in there was a child who was stillborn or died sometime between 1900 and 1910.  In fact I ran across the Missouri death certificate (thank you Missouri for digitizing the old death records!) so I now have a more complete look for this elusive branch of the family.  I found William in the 1920 census already married with children.  Now in 1920 Morris and Rachel were living in Wyandotte County, Kansas - so they hopped the state line somewhere in the 10 years previous.  I'm not sure my great-grandmother ever saw her sister after Rachel moved to Missouri from Indiana (where she was born and grew up).  So now I'm trying to locate Morris or Maurice in the 1890 census to see who he was married to before Rachel when the 2 oldest boys were toddlers.  Since Rachel grew up in Indiana, need to figure out if she was in Missouri visiting other relatives when she met Morris or if he was living in Indiana when they met.  I did find a Givens family living down the street from some of her relatives - but no Morris in the family - maybe he was visiting them (his relatives) when they met and he whisked her off to marry & mother his 2 children. 

Update on this post: When I wrote this, somehow I completely forgot that I won't be locating the 1890 census anytime soon since almost all of it was destroyed in a fire. 

I've found Maurice (born September 1857) living in his parents' household in the 1860 Census in Columbia Boro, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  Parents listed are Nathaniel and Catherine Given.   Catherine's maiden name was discovered to be Waltman as listed in Familysearch.org.  The couple was married on March 22, 1853.  They had four sons and two daughters (George, David, Maurice, William, Laura and Saloam).  The marriage ended (probably by Catherine's death) and Nathaniel then married Sarah Emma Stout on April 16, 1867.  They had four daughters and three sons (Carrie, Florence, Grace, Annie, Franklin, Washington and Walter). 

Maurice was found in his parents home in the 1870 Census living in 8-WD Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.  He was not found in the 1880 Census even though his parents are still in Dauphin County. 

On October 17, 1887 his first son, William Albert Given, was born in Strong City, Chase County, Kansas.  According to his death certificate, William's mother was Elizabeth Rose.  She is also thought to be the mother of Charles Wheeler Given, born December 22, 1889.  It is likely that Elizabeth died in the next few years.

Maurice went on to marry my great-great aunt, Rachel Blazer and their first child, Mary, was born in Oct. 1898 according to the 1910 Census (this is probably the child listed as "Shawn" or a misspelling of "Sarah" in the 1900 Census born Oct. 1898).  Mary is listed as age 12 on the 1910 Census which would put her birth around 1898.  The family is living in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri in the 1900 and 1910 Censuses. 

Also in the 1910 Census Maurice lists that he has been married twice and Rachel lists one marriage.  They report that they have been married 13 years putting their marriage date about 1897.  Rachel also lists that she has given birth to 6 children with 5 of them living.

The 1920 Census shows the family living in Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas with their two sons and two daughters (Arthur, Nathaniel, Pearl and Mearl).  Throughout the Censuses, his first name is spelled as both "Morris" and "Maurice".  The surname varies from Givens and Given. 

I've located Maurice's death date on the Kansas Historical Society website under Fraternal Necrologies.  He was a member of the I.O.O.F. and died March 6, 1930 (which would have made Rachel a widow at the time of my great-grandmother's death in May 1930).

William, the oldest son, died on December 17, 1946 of carbon monoxide poisoining (ruled accidental on the Death Certificate).  According to the Social Security Index, Charles died in September 1976.  There is no other information on Mary.  Arthur died in June 1959 according to the SSDI.  He was buried in Mount Hope Cemetery.  His obituary lists those who survive him as his wife, Maude; daughters, Juanita and Alice; and sons, Lawrence, William, James and George.

Daughters, Mearl and Pearl, have not been located past the 1920 Census.  Nathaniel was located in news articles and died on May 1, 1984 in Topeka, Kansas.

A listing on the Missouri Birth and Death Records Database shows that Rachel (spelled Rachael) and Maurice Givens had a daughter born July 17, 1908 at 1650 Madison in Jackson County, Missouri.  This record shows Maurice was born in Pennsylvania and Rachel was born in Indiana.  Since a daughter wasn't found on the 1910 Census born about 1908, I've made the deduction that this is the child that had died. 

Did Rachel ever return to Indiana to visit her mother, Malissa Goul Blazer, before Malissa died on March 7, 1907?  Did she ever see her two sisters, Katie Blazer Johnson, or Martha (Mat) Blazer Noonan Hardman, again?  Or her brothers, John and Wesley (who had moved to Champaign County, Ohio before 1900)?  Did her children or grandchildren ever travel East to meet or visit with their Blazer or Goul relatives?  And what did Rachel look like? (This mystery may be solved!  Stay tuned for a future post!)

And why does Rachel interest me if she's just my great-grandmother's sister?  I think it has to do more with the solving of a mystery than anything else.  I found one of Rachel's grandson's still living and have a letter to be sent off to him.  Possibly he can fill in some of the blanks or put me in touch with other descendents of Rachel and Maurice.

Afghan Stories: Giving Women a Voice – 7:00 PM Reception, 7:30 PM Presentation, Tues., Jan. 15, Belmont Gallery of Art in the Homer Municipal Building
Belmont photographer Paula Lerner offers multimedia presentations on her work with women in Kabul and Kandahar. Belmont Gallery of Art will exhibit her photos Dec. 18 - Feb. 5.

Oriental Rug Lecture and Road Show – 7:00 PM Wed., Jan. 23, Library Assembly Room
Mahmud Jafri, owner of Dover Rugs, will speak on the history and symbolism of Oriental carpets. Audience members are invited to bring a small rug for discussion and appraisal.

The Many Facets of Islam – 7:00 PM Thurs., Jan. 31, Library Assembly Room
By Subheen Razzaqui, speaker for Harvard Outreach Center for Middle Eastern Studies.
Co-sponsored by Belmont Against Racism.

Arooj Aftab Band – 2:00 PM Sun., Feb. 3, Library Assembly Room
Our Music on Sunday series presents traditional and contemporary music from Pakistan.

Beyond Belief – 7:00 PM Sunday, Feb. 10, Belmont Studio Cinema
Belmont World Film presents an award-winning documentary about two Boston-area women who helped empower widows in Afghanistan after their own husbands were killed on 9/11. Followed by a Q&A with film maker Beth Murphy. Tickets $8, $7 seniors and students.

Peoples and Politics of Pakistan and Afghanistan – 7:00 PM Wed., Feb. 13, Assembly Rm.
By Hassan Abbas, fellow of Belfer Center of the Harvard Kennedy School of Gov’t.
Co-sponsored by Belmont Against Racism.

Afghan Fighter Kites for Teens – 7:00 PM Tues., Feb. 19, Library Assembly Room
Students in grades 6 and up will learn how to build their own Afghan-style kites.

Vacation Week Crafts Workshop – 2:00 PM Thur., Feb. 21, Assembly Room
School-age children are invited to create their own mini magic carpets.
Co-sponsored by the Youth Commission.

Greg Mortenson – 7:00 PM Tues., Feb. 26, Belmont High School
Greg Mortenson, co-author of Three Cups of Tea, will speak about his work building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Event celebrates Belmont High School Diversity Week.

Belmont Public Library
Music on Sunday 2008 season

Fumito Nunoya, marimba. Accompanied by pianist Eliko Akahori. He was wonderful, and interested in performing at libraries. Highly recommended. $300.
FumitoNunoya@aol.com

Arooj Aftab Band playing the music of Pakistan, for our One Book One Belmont program. She is a student at Berklee College, and along with 3 other Berklee students, performed ghazals – love songs based on ancient Persian verse, sung in Urdu. $400. arooj.aftab@gmail.com

Music at Eden’s Edge, baroque music. This large chamber music ensemble is based on the North Shore; we had a quartet that included a Belmont musician, Sarah Ellison. $600. Contact Maria Benotti at
music@edensedge.org

Melissa Kassel Quartet – cabaret-style jazz  performing jazz standards and original compositions by vocalist Melissa Kassel and pianist Tom Zicarelli. $500  MelissaKassel@aol.com

Peabody Institute Library
Kelley Rae Unger
Adult Services Librarian
Peabody Institute Library
82 Main Street
Peabody, MA 01960
978-531-0100 x17
http://www.peabodylibrary.org

Silent Films with Live Piano Accompaniment

Contact info:
Richard Hughes
silentmovieshows@hotmail.com
Cost:
$250
Description:
Richard Hughes will bring his own keyboard, so you don’t need to have a piano at your library.  This program is a lot of fun and Richard definitely knows his silent film history well!

Creative Feast Cooking Demonstration

Contact info:
Liz Barbour
liz@thecreativefeast.com
Cost:
Dependent on group size, but we paid $145 plus mileage
Description:
Liz has a number of different presentations.  In February we offered Cooking with Chocolate and Liz will be back in May to talk about cooking and gardening with edible flowers.

Johnny Pesky

Contact info: Inquire by mail.  He is listed in the phone book.
Cost: Expensive but worthwhile if you have a community that loves baseball.
Description: Pesky did a 45 minute Q&A session followed by an autograph signing.  He brought copies of his biography, written by Bill Nowlan.

Stewart O’Nan Author Event

Contact info: Contact publisher (Viking Adult)
Description: Very cool guy and a good speaker.  Stewart talked about his book, “Faithful,” as part of our library’s “Play by the Book” Community Reading Program.

Decorator for a Day

Contact info:
Bernice Nowack
nowacktish@aol.com
Cost:
$150
Description:
Bernice brings fabric samples, photos of past projects and shows a couple of DVD segments about window treatments.  She has a great sense of humor and tries to motivate people to be bolder in their decorating.  The presentation is low-tech (no PowerPoint or slides), but people seemed to respond well to Bernice’s lecture.

Other Ideas:
All of these programs were presented by local artists and volunteers.

•    Decoupage
•    Calligraphy
•    Acrylic Painting
•    “Hiking the Appalachian Trail” presentation
Nashua
Nashua Public Library
Carol Luers Eyman
2 Court St
Nashua, NH 03060
603-589-4610
carol.eyman@nashualibrary.org

3 musical groups I highly recommend:

Annalivia
“This hip, young quartet plays traditional Anglo-Celtic aballad and fiddle music with a groove-centric, contemporary flair.” Fiddle, guitar, vocals, bass, banjo.  200 people attended! $800
Flynn Cohen: deadstring@gmail.com
(617) 825-1877

Trouz Bras “Catapulting ancient Breton music into the 21st century, Trouz Bras combines swirling bagpipes and soaring fiddle with a rocking rhythm section.” www.trouzbras.com
Variety of sizes of ensembles, not sure of prices. Band members had good stage presence, humor.

Jeff Warner: folk music lecture/performance/audience participation with instruments like spoons, bones, concertina, etc. Very entertaining and educational
jeff@jeffwarner.com 603-431-3383

Susan B. Anthony performer: Sally Matson
http://www.susanbanthonytheinvincible.com
I saw an excerpt from her performance at a NH Humanities Council event. I was surprised to find myself in tears at the end of it; she talks about the fight for both women’s and African-American suffrage, so I think having her present during this particular presidential election season would be quite inspiring.
Amherst, NH
Ruslyn Vear, M.L.S.
Head of Reference Services
Amherst Town Library
14 Main St.
Amherst, NH  03031
phone: 603.673.2288
fax: 603.672.6063
mailto: rvear@amherst.lib.nh.us
website: http://www.amherst.lib.nh.us
•    Map Quests: Exploring American Short Stories : A three-part discussion series on the American short story facilitated by Emily Archer, a local American literature scholar.  We explored a selection of classic and contemporary short stories by award-winning writers from three American regions.  New England: The White Heron by Sarah Orne Jewett and Electric Arrows by Annie Proulx; The South: Revelation by Flannery O'Connor; The Happy Memories Club by Lee Smith; and, The Safe by Tim Gautreaux; and, The West: Neighbour Rosicky by Willa Cather; Her First Elk by Rick Bass; and, The Lives of Rocks by Rick Bass.  The series took place March 5, March 26, and April 16 from 1-2 or 7-8.  Contact: Emily Archer at 603.673.3071.  Cost: $200 per discussion ($600 for total series) with travel negotiable.
•    Peking and the Mystics: Pop, Swing, Jazz and Doo-wop acapella group. Contact: Andrew Cranin at 978.263.663.  Cost: $350.
•    Wendy Glick Jazz Trio: Cycle of Love: Vocalist, Guitar and Piano.  Contact: Wendee Glick at 603.897.0241.  Cost: $400.
•    Spirit Fiddle in Concert: Champion Fiddler Robin Warren and Guitarist Brian Clancey.  Contact: Robin Warren at 603.424.0814.  Cost: $400.
•    The Four Hand Piano Duo: One Piano, Four Hands (Bonnie Anderson and Donna Gross Javel)--wonderful performance and great to work with! Contact: Donna Gross Javel at 781.373.1278.  Cost: $400.
•    How to Make a Large, Lush, Low Maintenance Garden: Nationally recognized landscape designer and author Bob Gillmore of Goffstown, NH--mantra of trees, shrubs, ground cover with slides--a woodland garden approach. Contact: Bob Gillmore at 603.497.8020. Cost: $200.
•    Summer Reading Program for Adults: Vote for Reading (Milford and Hollis, NH also have same theme): Raffle every week with genre display and voting every 2 weeks: 2 adult programs--Julia Older, NH author of 25 books.  Contact: Appledore Books, Steve Sherman at 603.525.3581.  Cost: $200. Adult cooking program with spouse of library staff member; Book Cart Drill Team at 4th of July Parade; Finale: "The High Strung Band" (as part a National Summer Library Tour 2008)--Contact: Bill Harmer at 734.612.5405 (in Detroit, Mi) bharmer@chelsea.lib.mi.us Cost: $400 (Began negotiating at $1500).
Reading
Nancy S. Aberman
Adult Services Librarian
Reading Public Library
64 Middlesex Avenue
Reading, MA 01867
http://www.readingpl.org
Handling the Holidays with Roberta Taylor (Life Coach & Psychotherapist).
She talked about how to handle the stress that comes upon everyone at holiday time--from dealing with departed loved ones to buying gifts for people you don't even like.  $150. Contact her at rkt@pathmaking.com

Attracting Birds to Your Winter Garden.  Local bird enthusiast Dave Williams discussed how to feed winter birds and how to identify them once
they arrive.  He presented slides and instruction and did indoor field identification.  $150.

Jay Atkinson, author of CITY IN AMBER about the creation of the mill city
of Lawrence, MA up to its present spoke about writing and his research. $150, and he sold books. Contact him at jayatkinson3@yahoo.com

Peter Bebergal, co-author (with Scott Kolb) of
Andover: Memorial Hall Library
Elm Square
Andover, MA 01810
Emily Classon, Community Services Librarian
978-623-8401, ext. 49, eclasson@mhl.org

Selected March events:
•    “Bringing the Past to Light: Understanding Family Photographs” by Maureen Taylor - http://www.photodetective.com/.  This program was the hit of our genealogy series.  Maureen gave excellent presentation with detailed photographs and examples of photo identification tips through the decades.  Contact:  mtaylor@taylorandstrong.com
•    Aubrey Atwater concert - http://www.atwater-donnelly.com/ - Excellent solo performance featuring clogging, tin whistle, banjo, dulcimer, and other instruments.  This event was popular with all ages.
•    El Eco – Brazilian Argentine Jazz ensemble - http://www.musicamador.com/eleco.shtml
April events:
•    An Afternoon of Chinese Art and Music with a Chinese brush painting demonstration by Phillips Academy student and performances by the Andover Chinese Chorus and the Xi Yang Yang Music Ensemble.
•    National Library Week video contest
May events:
•    The Big Dig:  Boston Globe reporter Sean P. Murphy's 75-minute Big Dig presentation
is growing in popularity at public libraries. Mr. Murphy, an award-winning investigative reporter, illustrates his talk with more than 100 slides, including vintage photos. He delves deeply into the politics, the financing, the personalities and the mistakes and mismanagement of the Big Dig, the largest public works project in history.  smurphy@globe.com

Mr. Murphy, also a lawyer, does an illustrated talk on casinos in Massachusetts -- another subject he was covered for many years. With the casino proposal sure to return to public debate, Mr. Murphy sketches the issues --- the pros and the cons -- and the personalities, the law, the politics and the history that have brought us to this important crossroads.  smurphy@globe.com

•    “Lizzie Borden and the 40 Whacks” by the Delvena Theater Company – partially funded by the Andover Cultural Council.

•    Silhouette fundraiser with Jean Comerford of Portraits in Silhouette, http://portraitsinsilhouette.com/.
June events:
•    “Organizing Tips to Simplify Your Life” with Nancy Black from Organization Plus, http://www.organizationplus.com/.
•    “Quick & Easy Home Decorating” with Jackie Davis, http://www.roomscape.com/
•    Chinese brush painting class with Phillips Academy student.
•    We are also starting a knitting group at the library.
Groton
Ann Wilson
Coordinator, Adult Programs
Groton Public Library
99 Main Street, Groton, MA 01450
Tel: 978-448-8000
April 15: MCI-Shirley Inmate Poetry Read by Susan Richmond and Linda Hoffman

April 22 at 2:30 pm: Mel Simons Presents the Golden Days of Radio co-sponsored by RiverCourt Residences, Town Funds Town Lecture Fund, and the GPL Endowment Fund.

May 6: Anita Diamant Discusses Writing Historical Fiction in 3rd level non-fiction area. A reception in Sibley Hall with book sales and signing will follow the program.

Thursday, May 15: An Evening with Robert Frost by Stephen Collins

June 17 at 6:45 pm: Movie: "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"  The book by the same title will be discussed at the June 24 meeting of the GPL Book
Discussion Group.

Summer vacation

Tuesday, September 23: Kate Braestrup, author of "Here If You Need Me"

Tuesday, October 28: Mameve Medwed, author of "How Elizabeth Barrett Browning Saved My Life"

Tewksbury
Freyja Sanger, Reference Librarian
Tewksbury Public Library
300 Chandler Street
Tewksbury, MA  01876
p: 978.640.4490 x207
f: 978.640.4315
e: fsanger@mvlc.org

2/9/08 - Boston Jazz Voices
Contact:  George Bouchard
George.Bouchard@hp.com
$400
Friendly and talented group sing their a capella versions of jazz tunes. Great solo performances! Almost the entire group of 18 singers showed up and stuck around to chat with patrons after the 1 ½ hour performance. Highly Recommended.

3/15/08 - Gloucester Hornpipe & Clog Society
Contact: David Rosen
DJRosen@theworld.com
$300
Group of 4 musicians played traditional music of Ireland with a fiddle, pogo-cello, flute, and female vocalist. They played a 2-hour concert (2 sets of 45-50 min.). Highly Recommended.

5/7/08 Special Education, Dyslexia, & Advocacy Seminar
Contact: Dr. Mary Jean Hughes
twwcb@aol.com
Free
Dr. Hughes has recently published “The Wolf Who Cried Boy” and is eager to get the word out. 1 hour lecture/book signing. She’s an active and enthusiastic presenter.

5/12/08 - Self-Defense Classes
Kwon’s Taekwondo Inc.
Local Only
Free
An instructor from our local Taekwondo school will teach a 3-week self-defense course (Monday evenings) to women and girls.

My name is Leslie Lang and I am a freelance writer living near Hilo, Hawai'i. That's on what we call the Big Island of Hawai'i, on the east (windward; rainier; lush) side of the island.

My father's family is from this island. Some go back to the beginning, when Polynesians first landed on this island and eventually evolved into Hawaiians, and others were English and Chinese.

My mother's English/Irish family is from West Virginia, deep in the most beautiful hills where the trees turn brilliant reds and oranges and yellows in the fall, and where they make really good cornbread in a skillet in the oven. I do that too.

It's a pretty diverse genealogical background, huh? I love it all.

My husband Macario is a professional photographer and once in awhile we work together. We are raising our 4-year-old daughter here in my grandmother's wonderful old rambly home in the country. It's a good life.

I have a lot of stories to tell and some other things to say, and I am a writer, and so, voila! A blog.

I'll post here often about:

• Freelance writing (Who, what, where, how and probably even why)
• Being self-employed (Coming soon: Is it riskier, in this or any economy, than working full-time for one employer? Or much, much safer?)
• Living in Hawai'i (It's a pretty great place to live)
• Historic Hilo town (I wrote a book recently about beautiful Hilo and its history)
• and, I'm sure, how all these subjects intersect in my life

Whether you are looking for a writer, are yourself self-employed as a writer (or want to be) and are interested in how others do it, or are interested in Hilo or Hawai‘i in general, I hope you'll check back! Or even subscribe to my feed. I'll try to keep it interesting. And please, always feel free to continue the conversation by leaving a comment.

You can also always contact me at leslie@leslielang.com.

Aloha,

Leslie

Reuben married Lucy Zimmerman in 1811 in South Carolina. Lucy was born on 6 Jan 1794 in Orangeburg County, South Carolina. She died about 1872 in Ralls County, Missouri.

They had the following children:

Ann Adams was born about 1813 in Orangeburg County, South Carolina. She died on 6 Oct 1878 in Georgia.
Andrew Adams was born on 5 Feb 1817 in Orangeburg County, South Carolina. He died on 9 Sep 1911 in Georgia.
Hannah Adams was born about 1819 in South Carolina.
Edwin Adams was born in 1822 in Missouri. He died in 1904 in Boone County, Missouri.
Nicholas Adams was born during 1825 in Ralls County, Missouri. He died circa 1864 in Georgia.
Henry Adams was born in 1827 in Ralls County, Missouri. He died during 1887 in Wilkes County, Georgia.
Leonard Stephen Adams was born during 1831 in Missouri.
Nathan Christian Adams was born in 1835 in Missouri.
Sophia C. Adams was born circa 1838 in Missouri. She died on 10 Apr 1888 in Georgia.