Where did Mom's German go?

My Mom recently submitted her DNA sample for testing with FamilyTreeDNA. The results were... more than surprising. 

Let me start with this: I have a lot to learn about the world of DNA and genealogy. I am just getting started in this excitng new field, but I have a few questions that I felt like DNA could help me.

So when I asked my Mom to submit her sample to FamilyTreeDNA, I didn't really set up any expectations for the results. I had a general idea: we would certainly see some Irish and German, and I thought there might be a chance of either Native American or African, based on family oral history and theories presented by cousins.

I couldn't have been more surprised at the results.

What happened to Germany? 

I can trace my maternal line straight back to Germany - I know the ship the original immigrants arrived on, and I know the family they left behind. I know the two brothers who came over together, and each of their recorded descendants. I've connected with a "cousin" who is still in Germany that can trace back several more generations. There has never been any doubt that my mother has German heritage. Um... what happened to Germany?

And Turkey? Where did that come from?

Oh boy.

I've got work to do.

Mom's results

For reference, Mom's surname is HEERTEN. There are very few of us in the U.S., so if you have that name in your tree, we're related... so PLEASE CONTACT ME. :)

Keep Looking

This past weekend, my Aunt from Alabama traveled to Colorado for a visit. My parents, my sister and her family, myself and my family, and our Aunt, all gathered in Leadville, Colorado to create some fall memories. While there, I wanted to get back to the Evergreen Cemetery to correct a mistake I made a few years ago: insufficient headstone photos. 

Thomas Perkins was born in England, and I first discovered his headstone about five years ago. The story is a bit long, so bear with me. 

Thomas Perkins was the first husband of Mary Isabelle Daniel. Mary was born in 1868 in Cornwall, England, and is the mother of three children. She arrived in America and appears to have traveled almost directly to Colorado. Although still unclear where the marriage between them took place, they ended up in Leadville, which is the highest incorporated town in the United States, sitting just above 12,000 feet in elevation. In the late 1800s, it was a booming city, and was even considered for the Colorado state capitol at one point. The town was the epicenter of the various mineral rushes in Colorado through the late 1800s and through the 1900s. 

After Thomas died in 1900, Mary continued on in Leadville for a few years. She ran a boarding house on East 5th Street, just three blocks from where my sister lives today. For whatever reason, in 1910, she and her children traveled to Springview, Keya Paha County, Nebraska, where she married my great grand uncle, Dick Heerten. Technically, she responded to his ad in "Lonely Hearts" magazine, or so the family story goes, and they were married within minutes of her stepping off the train. They then headed out to his farm, where they raised her three children, and life appears to have progressed fairly smoothly for the couple. 

What does all this have to do with Evergreen Cemetery? 

The thing is, our family never knew about Mary and her first husband until just a couple of years ago when I managed to dig it up from the black hole of history where family stories go to die. I put the pieces together and when I finally realized the truth of the story, my family was a little more than surprised. Not only has this particular line (the Heerten's) never before had any connection with Colorado, it was absolutely crazy to us that Mary and Thomas lived in Leadville. The town where my sister and her family had moved to about twelve years ago. A town that none of us had ever heard of before that point, and a town that has since captivated us a bit with its history. 

As this story started to unravel, I went to Evergreen Cemetery in Leadville and found the headstone of Thomas Perkins. I was unsure of his birth date, and his actual death date, and was really hoping there would be more information there. With no images available online that I could identify (at the time, at least; after I found the memorial, I created a place for him on FindAGrave.com), I really felt I needed to see the headstone. And I'm glad I did. 

Headstone of Thomas Perkins, Evergreen Cemetery.
Leadville, Lake County, Colorado
Copyright Jen Baldwin, 2014.

I was excited to find his marker, and several other's with the surname Perkins. I took the time to document all of the stones in the plot, and got the close up of course of the iinscriptionon Thomas' stone. 

Headstone of Thomas Perkins, Evergreen Cemetery.
Leadville, Lake County, Colorado
Copyright Jen Baldwin, 2014.

My mistake came when I walked away without a clear image of the two symbols on his marker. Although relatively common, they are significant enough that I knew I needed to confirm them, leaving no doubt as to their meaning. If you are familiar, you may immediately recognize them. This is what I was determined to correct this past weekend, and I did just that when I visited the site again, accompanied by my husband and my Dad. (Great experience, to walk a cemetery with the two men in this world I love the most.)

Copyright Jen Baldwin, 2014

Copyright Jen Baldwin, 2014

You may know them, you may not. The top one is a bit harder to see, but it is the anchor and shield of the Association of United Workmen. The initials, A.O.U.W. are often inscribed across the symbol, as seen here.  The lower symbol is an Elk inside a shield, representing the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks. Both were prominent organizations in Leadville history. 

The Elks is a great one for me, as I already know the lodge is still active, and my sister has friends who are members. I have an "in" for any future research I may want to do. The A.O.U.W. may be a little more challenging, however, as the Leadville lodge has since gone defunct, and in fact, the organization as a whole has evolved into a life insurance company. The great part for me was as we walked over to the next plot, and I found this: 

A.O.U.W. Headstone, Evergreen Cemetery
Leadville, Lake County, Colorado
Copyright Jen Baldwin, 2014

I do not know if this person is affiliated in my research of Thomas Perkins in any way, but I'm grateful for them, nonetheless. Why? Because the Lodge for the A.O.U.W. is identified on their marker! "Excelsior Lodge No. 5" is inscribed along the top edge, with the A.O.U.W. symbol on the front angle. Although more ornate than the version on the Perkins stone, there is no doubt that this is the same organization. YES, there could have been more than one lodge in Leadville. NO, there is no guarantee that this was also Thomas Perkins' lodge, but it is a place to start. I almost missed it; I almost just walked on by. But for whatever reason, I didn't. I looked down and paused. I took a second look. 

And that is why I say, keep looking.  You never know what is going to be right under your feet. 

S.M.A.R.T.ER in 2014

Has it been two weeks already?


10 Jan 2014 was the first #genchat of 2014, and as the host, I decided to be a little tricky. I threw a surprise up at the very end, with my new #genchat challenge! Each chat on Friday evenings will include a little extra bonus for those that are willing and able to take me up on it. Nothing too serious, all in good fun and with the purpose of continuing the conversation, the thought process, the education after the chat is over.


Besides, every time we do #genchat, at the end of the hour the comments are always, "it's over already? Can't we chat some more?"  This is your chance to chat more.


I cannot very well issue a challenge to all of the participants without being willing to face it myself. The first challenge was to write a S.M.A.R.T. goal that some how related to your genealogy for 2014. I've decided this year to try to balance my research time more evenly between my paternal and maternal lines; I've been quite focused on Oscar for several years. I need to take some time to let all my other ancestors whisper into my soul.


Therefore, my S.M.A.R.T. goal is focused on Eilert Heerten, and his family.

Headstone for Anna and Eilert Heerten.
Personal files of the author.

Eilert traveled to the United States with his brother. My goal is to identify that brother with certainty, and trace his spouse and descendants to determine if there are currently living descendants. The deadline for this research to be conducted is 1 Aug 2014. After utilizing all of the resources that I have reasonable access to, I will complete the process by producing a research report outlining my findings. 

S.M.A.R.T.ER in 2014

I do like a good challenge.


I am happy with my established goal, and I think that I have a good start on establishing a pedigree from Eilert's brother to current day.


During the chat, though, I stated that one of my goals for 2014 is to "grow #genchat." I do want to expand the community, and the reach, of these chats, as I think they have proven to be a valuable resource and genuinely beneficial experience for the participants. I am deeply proud of #genchat, and everything it has become. I would love to just host chat after chat after chat.


Here is my #genchat goal, more defined:


In 2014, my goal is to promote and market the #genchat community so that there are 75-100 people on the chats on a regular basis (regular = at least one chat a month for six months at this participation level). I will accomplish this by reaching out to societies, offering Twitter "lessons," and partnering with organizations in the genealogy community. I will host as many chats as possible from national conference venues and attempt to engage an audience that is not as active on social media. The timeline is as follows: 

• Host three #genchat's from society meetings (in person or virtually) in the first six months of 2014. 
• Partner with a national organization by 1 March 2014 to help promote #genchat and increase participation. 
• Recruit a team of #genchat cheerleaders to assist in carrying the #genchat message into the far corners of the country by 1 Jul 2014. 

#genchat is a very special community to me, and one that I treasure. It is also one of my highest priorities for 2014, both as a genealogist and as a business owner. I am committed to maintaining the chat's high level of quality, while equally committed to keeping the atmosphere fun, non-judgmental and positive. 

If I am able to accomplish these two goals, I will certainly be S.M.A.R.T.ER by the time 2014 is over. I am very much looking forward to the research challenge, as well as working to make #genchat bigger and better in its second year. 

Way out in the middle of nowhere...

Way out in the middle of nowhere is where my 2x great grandfather, Eilert Heerten, decided to settle. 

Homesteading in Keya Paha County, Nebraska, the property is nearly in South Dakota. The last time I was there... well, let's just say I couldn't yet read, write or cross the street by myself.

The red point on the map represents Springview, Nebraska; the
closest town.
Google Maps

A recent discovery on this particular family (and an exciting one!) started me thinking... was Eilert involved in any fraternal societies? If so, how? Where?

One benefit I have as the researcher is the surname I'm working with: Heerten. Find a Heerten in the U.S., and I'm related. Pretty much guaranteed. Not "I just met them online because we're researching a mutual 6th great grandfather" related; but the "oh, yes, I talked to her last week and her daughter just got a trophy for gymnastics" related. Eilert came to the U.S. with his brother, Sweeney, and as far as we know, they were the only two of their generation to do so. Everyone else stayed home in Germany. And so, if you find a Heerten in the U.S., I'm related.

The second benefit I have is that I know exactly where Eilert and his family settled. I can say this with such certainty because their direct descendants are still working that land. He became a naturalized citizen in Menard County, Illinois, and finalized his homestead in June, 1890.

These two points allow me to be fairly easily intimately familiar with the family tree once more, at just a glance. It's been a while since I actively searched on this line, but a quick refresh was all I needed to get going again. I started by taking a second look at the family headstones, nearly all located in the Ainsworth Cemetery in Brown County, Nebraska. With a new focus on fraternal organizations, I was specifically looking for any symbols or markings that may indicate involvement in any organization. A quick run through the images, and... nothing. Not a single standard symbol from any member of the family, in the Heerten line or a collateral line.

I have looked before for city directories or even state directories that might include this area. It is so remote, though, and has such a low population, I have never been able to locate any. I did a quick search, and once again came up empty.

My next move was to try the Grand Lodge of Nebraska (Masonic). Simply because they are the largest of the fraternal societies, I felt it more likely that there would be a Masonic lodge in the area than any of the others. I found this list, which made me realize that the Masonic mission is still very much alive in the State of Nebraska. From this list, however, I was not able to determine those that might be closest to the Heerten's.

Stop and Evaluate: What do I need? 

As I try to find an answer, I realize that I am more likely to find useful information if I reach out to a couple of folks first:

• A good state map of Nebraska would be very helpful. I have requested one via the Nebraska Tourism Commission. 
• I have reviewed the History section of the Springview, Nebraska website. It would be unlikely for them to mention anything specifically about fraternal societies, but I read it to be sure anyway. I followed up with an email, asking about the general history of societies in the area. 
• Knowing that Eilert and Sweeney immigrated from Germany, it would be beneficial to look at the general populous, to determine if they were in a community that was heavily influenced one way or another. Were their neighbors also German? Or did they originate from another country? Finding a general sense of the heritage of the community may help me narrow down exactly what it is I am searching for; which organizations would have formed naturally in this area? 

The current population of Springview is less than 300 people. I guess if I exhaust all online resources, I'll just have to drive out there and start asking around! 

What am I left with? 

Essentially, just another course of research that is in "pending" status. I am still waiting to hear back from organizations in the Denver area on another family member, and now I am waiting for resources from northern Nebraska. (Not to leave out the very southern edge of South Dakota, certainly!) Hopefully I will have an update on at least one - if not both! - soon after the start of the new year. 

My First Look at DNA

It came! It came!

The results from my father’s AncestryDNA test came back, and I was ever so excited to see it. Here is how the Brown family breaks down in terms of genetic ethnicity:

• British Isles: 43%
• Eastern European: 25%
• Central European: 23%
• Scandinavian: 9%

I like how the DNA results compare to the family tree information I currently have on the site in my personal research. When comparing the DNA results to what I have in my database, you can see there are some gaps and some consistencies. The birth locations I have in my family tree currently break down like this:

• USA 34%
• Sweden 30%
• Poland 15%
• Russia 15%
• Other 6%

Essentially, I feel really good about how the results came back, because it confirms most of my research on a certain level. It tells me I’m on the right path to finding more clues on my ancestors, and that confirmation is nice to have. No surprises, and although at first I was admittedly a tad disappointed, after some contemplation time, I can see how much positive information I can gain from this evaluation.

The big question for me was this: can DNA help me learn more about my brick wall ancestor, Oscar F. Brown. He was born in New York, but I have not been able to confirm the identity of his parents. (Read all about Oscar here!)  The answer? Yes, I think it will help. I know that I need to continue to focus my search in the same ways that I have been. With a name like Oscar Brown, I have always had in the back of my mind that his origins go back to Central Europe, and the DNA test seems to support that to a degree. The test supports my research plan as it is currently laid out.

Sarah (Evans) Lawrence, presumably
with one of her children.
Photo: Personal Collection of Author

So far, I have been able to find one positive match – a new 4th cousin through my great grandaunt, Mary Josephine Lawrence (sister to Oscar’s wife, Frances E Lawrence). I’m excited to connect with this researcher and learn more about their side of the family, see if they have any new clues on Mary and Frances’ parents: John Horatio Lawrence and Sarah Evans. I have had the pleasure of meeting other descendants from the Lawrence side, and have always had very positive experiences. I hope this turns out the same!

What’s next?

My maternal side. I had one of my Uncles – my Mom’s brother – take a test as well. For him, we utilized a different service, so I could compare notes on the pros/cons of how two of the major players in the DNA game work. Of course, the sale price from FamilyTreeDNA helped convince him. Actually, he was pretty willing from the first moment we asked, and has been very open to the idea. I am hoping to learn more about my Irish heritage with this test, as I have at least one line that can be traced back to the Emerald Isle. My 2nd great-grandfather, Patrick Henry McGowan (1854-1924) and his mother, Bridget (father unknown) were both born there, we think. I’m also hoping to be able to explore more of the German side of the family:  Although I know quite a bit about the Heerten side of the family, all my knowledge begins when they step foot for the first time in the U.S. Before that, I pretty much just have “Germany” and that’s where it stops.  

Perhaps too much to expect from one little test? 

While I wait, I shall read. I have been slowly trying to grasp the major concepts behind the DNA study as it relates to genealogy, and I will continue to do so. I’m looking forward to a DNA session or two at the NGS Conference in Vegas, also.

The only thing so far in this experience that has been negative is the quantity of emails I have been receiving from other AncestryDNA customers. There are as many reasons to take a test like this as there are researchers, so please, stop sending me generic emails telling me to make my family tree on Ancestry.com public (vs the private setting I have now). I have a whole list of reasons to keep it private, and DNA will not change that! I’m more than willing to compare notes to see if there is a connection; I love finding new cousins! But you have to say “please” and “thank you” just like my four year old does. Sorry, that’s just how I roll.

After that, I really want my husband to do a test. We know very little of his birth father, and literally nothing of his paternal history.  I think he might have a bit of Italian in him, so I'm incredibly curious to see what that might tell us. 

What's on your DNA to-do list? Have any awesome websites or learning resources to share? I'd love to see them. 

Where Were They? Turn of the Century Mark

With 2012 quickly coming to a close, I thought this would be an appropriate entry in my Where Were They? series.


My initial thought on this topic, the turn of the century – as in 1899 to 1900 – was this: did they have their own Y2K?  Remember that? Remember how the world was “going to end” when we hit 2000?

What was going on in 1899 that would have made folks fear or anticipate the new century?

The United States National Museum Building,
now the Arts and Industries Building,
pictured at the turn of the century.
(Source: http://siarchives.si.edu/history/exhibits/century/usnm.htm)

Reviewing a few websites was absolutely necessary, and although what I found was interesting, it was not earth shattering.

• America is a world power. The west has been settled, the Spanish-American War of 1898 – less than 100 days of it – was a success, both on the battlefield and with the populous.
• Our native people had been shuffled onto reservations. Buffalo were essentially gone. Automobiles, or “the horseless carriage” and telephones were household words and tools. Frank Lloyd Wright was starting his career in Chicago, John D. Rockefeller had started the Standard Oil Trust company. Andrew Carnegie had constructed the world’s largest steel mill in Pittsburgh.
• The transcontinental link had been completed in 1869, and by 1900 the nation had “193,00 miles of track, with five railroad systems spanning the continent.” (Source: America at the Turn of the Century: A Look at the Historical Context)

Although still mostly rural than urban, America had become the stand out in world success. Industry, politics, innovation and technology, war. There were many poor, there were many that were overworked in factories; but President McKinley still ran on a platform of prosperity for his re-election in 1900, which he won. (Source: Macrohistory and World Report, The United States to 1910)

Life was not easy. Can you imagine, though, seeing all of that come to be reality? Would it have changed your view of the world, your daily routine? Picture yourself as a young adult, having been born and raised in a rural setting, then walking down the city sidewalks to see the evening sky lit with electric lights for the first time.


Getting Personal

The big question in this series is this: how did this event affect the lives of my ancestors (or yours)?
As always, I will start with the family of Oscar Brown, because, well, his life fascinates me, and there are lots of questions there still.
In 1899-1900, Oscar, his wife Frances, and two of their five children were living in Central City, Merrick County, Nebraska. By this time, Oscar had given up on his homestead and moved into a “city”, living primarily off of his Civil War pension. In April of 1901, his pension file includes a notation that he had suffered from small pox for the last six months.  No occupation is listed for either Oscar of Frances in the 1900 U.S. Federal Census. By the time of his death in October of 1906, his household goods had been assessed at a mere $10.00.

Living in rural Nebraska, would they have ridden in an automobile yet? Perhaps there was one or two in Central City. I have to assume the railroad advancements during the past ten years had affected them in some way, even if it was just to get mail faster.

For a man who had served in the Civil War, was a regional Deputy Sheriff in Missouri, then went on to become a State Senator for Nebraska, these last few years of his life, living in essential poverty, must have been difficult. His pension file, and again in Frances’ widow’s pension, states that his health declined quickly, beginning around 1900.  He could not work, could not support his wife and children, and likely, with adult children in the area, they were helping to support him. Would he even have cared that city streets were gaining cable cars?

Eilert Heerten. Another man whose life remains a bit of a mystery. He is my maternal 2nd great grandfather, and arrived in America from Germany in 1869. He, too, would have lived through this transition period in our country, and just as with Oscar, he lived in a rural area.


His family has settled on land in Keya Paha County, Nebraska. In 1900, he is farming with two adult sons, and has three other children in the household, along with his wife, Amke, or “Annie”. Financially, he appears to be doing better than Oscar, but he’s also 15 years younger. Perhaps he was more interested in the developments across the country, more attuned to what was happening “out in the world.” However, Keya Paha County is more remote, farther from the main rail lines, and therefore, farther from the news.

Did this New Year’s Eve 113 years ago have any affect on these families? Did they celebrate “bigger'”? Did they ignore the entire event, because they still had to get up and take care of the farm the next morning, just as with any other day?


Questions such as this may never be answered, but they are still worth asking.

Where were your ancestors when 1899 became 1900?

Where Were They? When barbed wire was invented.

Barbed wire.

What we now think of as a simple and standard tool around the world was truly a life changing invention at the time.

According to Wikipedia, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbed_wire), the first patent was issued in 1867 to Ohio based Lucien B. Smith. Another patent, this time in 1874, was given to Joseph F. Glidden, who made his own modifications. As the "first technology capable of restraining cattle", it had a profound impact after becoming largely available across the continent, and especially the plains. Easy to use, easy to manage, and affordable. Of course, it was also used in combat, prisons and concentration camps; and electrified.

Where Were They?

My family tree holds several farmers and a hand full of dairy farmers. Certainly the addition of barbed wire would have made an impact on their operations, right? Let's find out. I'm going to base this off of the year 1874, after the new invention became available to the masses.

Oscar F. Brown

1874 was the year Oscar F. Brown married Frances E. Lawrence in Nebraska. He had yet to settle on his military homestead in Colfax County, but had been in Colfax County since 1870. The census record lists him as a farmer, with real estate property valued at $1000.00. On 1 Jun 1875, Oscar filed his homestead certificate, and started building on the property he would live on for most of his adult life. I would have to imagine that barb wire played a part in this farming operation, but the important part is that he farmed - not ranched - so perhaps his use of this technology was limited.

Eilert Heerten

My focus ancestor on my maternal side was only about five years off the boat from Germany in 1874, and had settled in Illinois. In 1870 he was in Menard County, and in 1875 married in Tazewell County another recent immigrant, Amke Dirks Rademacher. What happened to the family between 1875 and 1900, when we find them in Keya Paha County, Nebraska, is at this time at least, unknown. Were they farming? Were they in transit, trying to find the best place to settle? They had seven children: the first two were born in Illinois, the next two in the "USA" and finally the last three in Nebraska. Due to the various misspellings and mispronunciations of their surname, the census options are numerous and difficult to weed through. I'm not even sure that Amke's name is correct. The version I have here is what is on her tombstone and the majority of records, but the marriage index displays it as this:

Anka D RODEMACHER

They've turned into a tough crowd to track down during those years. So, did barb wire affect the Heerten family? I'm sure it did. Oral history tells us they had more livestock than the Brown's, so certainly their efforts to contain the animals would have been much more prevalent.

Harley Brown, grandson of Oscar, on his tractor in Washington State.
Dairy farmer.
Photo property of author.

Those dairy farmers I mentioned? That started in Pierce County, Washington in the 1940's, so that certainly would have made an impact to the operation. The family really started farming in the area as the farm manager for the Orting Soldier's Home & Colony, and the son's branched out and ventured into their own operations.

Those of you with roots in states like Oklahoma and Texas may want to look into this further... did your ancestors purchase more land around this time? Or did the lose property? Perhaps one of their neighbors found more success in controlling their livestock and were able to expand.

Barb wire. A genealogical research opportunity. Who knew?



You can learn more about this topic from The Kansas Barbed Wire Museum, located in La Crosse, Kansas.

Where Were They? The Day Standard Time Began

Where were they?  A real question, worthy of evaluating. In the past, we have relived a blizzard and extreme heat. Today, our moment in history is a human development; that of "standard time."

White Pine Cone, White Pine, Gunnison County, Colorado Newspaper
30 Nov 1883, Page 3
Part of an article explaining the change to Standard Time.

18 November 1883. The railroads in the United States and Canada adopt "Standard Time" to unify the schedules and routes across the continent. Starting at exactly noon, we divided into time zones using hour differentials; the same system still in place today. The idea did not necessarily change life as a whole for the average American, it took some time for the effects to spread. The idea of daylight savings time was first concocted by Benjamin Franklin, during his time as Ambassador in France, in 1748, but was not instigated until the 1900's. (Source on all above facts: http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/d.html.)

So, where were they?

Where were my ancestors when standard time went "live"? Were they about to board a train? Were they out in the wilderness and had no idea this was even happening?

Let's find out.

My usual suspects will make their presence known once again: Oscar F. Brown and Eilert Heerten. I've also decided to try to include some folks that were in more urban environments.

The date in question is 18 November 1883. Oscar was 51 years of age, had a wife and four kids, with two more to come later. They were living in Richland, Nebraska, having given up the homesteading life, and Oscar was serving a two year term as a State Senator. We can assume from his "in town" political activity that the family knew of the adoption of standard time. The railway had been in Richland since 1866, and in 1879, they had a grocery store (http://www.casde.unl.edu/history/counties/colfax/richland/). The town was well on its way by 1883.  I wonder if and when the State Senate made the switch? From what I've read, it started with the railroads, and took some time for the rest of society to catch on, so did governments switch earlier than the rest of society? Would the Brown's have adapted to the new system to make life more seamless for Oscar in his public office, or did he just adjust from his personal to professional life?

Eilert's whereabouts during this time are a little more uncertain. We know he was in Illinois in 1875, and in Nebraska by 1890, but those in between years are a little gray. For the purposes of this post, I'm going to assume he was already in Keya Paha County, Nebraska, since its only a few years off.   

From what I have been able to find, the Nebraska Northeastern Railway Company and the Burlington-Northern San Francisco (BNSF) currently run routes near Springview, the county seat. Both of these also run near Ainsworth, in neighboring Brown County, which is where the Heerten family is buried. However, the railroading history in the area began in 1883, with the arrival of the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad (in fact, the town of Ainsworth was named after one of the rail construction engineers); which may seem relatively late to most for the first train. I would have to guess that since the rails were not a significant part of life for the north central area of Nebraska residents, then neither was the designated change to "standard time" in late 1883.

What about those that resided in the cities, or in major transportation hubs? Did it make a bigger difference?

In 1883, the McGowan family was living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Patrick worked in the steel industry, and Elizabeth, or "Lizzie", was at home, pregnant with their first of ten children, who would be born Mary Ann.  Knowing little about the steel industry in 1883, I can only assume that they had ties to the railroad system for shipping their material out from their factory or, at the very least, a distribution center of some sort. So, again, I think that my 2nd great grandfather Patrick would have been aware of the new program, and that it affected his work life in some way. (Of course, I've just created a whole new line of research for myself, haven't I?)


How long, I wonder, did it really take for standard time to gain a foothold in every day life.  It must have felt very unnatural to some, to start watching the clock, versus just watching the sun. Did some folks fight it; just absolutely adamantly refuse to adapt? Or did they shrug it off, downplaying the impact on their routines and way of life. It would have mattered, eventually, even in the most basic ways. Churches, government offices, schools, stores and markets. They all would have had to adopt the idea at some point.

Do you think your ancestor welcome standard time with open arms, or did they argue that it was unnecessary and unnatural?

Perhaps, only time will tell...

Where Were They: The Children's Blizzard, 12 Jan 1888

I am currently reading The Children's Blizzard, by David Laskin. If you have not read this, and are interested in American history or events in the plains states, you should really pick it up. Honestly, I'm only about half way through, but it made me stop to think: where were my family members on this day?

I had two major lines living in Nebraska at this time. Oscar F. Brown and family represent my paternal side, residing in Colfax County. Farther north were the family of Eilert Heerten, farming in Keya Paha County.  Eilert was the first of my mother's Heerten line to immigrate from Germany. Both of these groups would have seen this historic storm, and both would have certainly told stories of it later in life.


This is the comment published on the inside cover of the book, and when I first picked it up, this is what nearly forced me to purchase it and immediately sit down with a cup of coffee to devour this text:

"In three minutes, the front subtracted eighteen degrees from the air's temperature. Then evening gathered in, and temperatures kept dropping the northwest gale. By morning on Friday, January 13, 1888, more than a hundred children lay dead on the Dakota-Nebraska prairie..."

Wow.

The problem with this storm, from what I've been able to decipher so far, was the timing. The morning of January 12 was unusually warm and sunny, so many of the children went off to school, most walking, in lighter clothing, not worried too much about good coats, boots and other typical winter gear. When the storm started to approach, teachers frantically sent their students home, and many were lost in this fast moving weather. When I say they were "lost", I mean that literally. They got lost in the blinding snow and wind, could not find their way to shelter of any kind, and died from exposure. It's a sad tale, tragic. And it begs the question: where were they?

Always curious to know more about the daily lives of my ancestors, and facing the reality that this could possibly explain young deaths in my tree, I begin my journey.

Eilert Heerten immigrated to the United States on the vessel "New York". Family legend and his obituary tell us that he was a stowaway. Three brothers came over together, but they only had enough funds for two, so the other brothers sneakily got Eilert on the ship and managed to keep him hidden for the duration of this voyage. I have no idea if this is really true or not, or even if it was feasible, but it makes for an interesting story.

When Eilert arrived, he originally settled in Mason County, Illinois, and this is where he met and married Amke Dirks Rademacher, also immigrated from Germany. Between 1875 and 1887, though possibly earlier, he had moved the family onto a farm in Keya Paha county, along the northern edge of the Nebraska border with South Dakota.

The young couple had seven children:

John, born 1875, Illinois
Dick, born 1878, Illinois
Annie, 1880, location unknown
Herman, 1884, location unknown
Frank, 1887, Nebraska
Edward, 1890, Nebraska
Bessie, 1896, Nebraska

The storm hit 12 Jan 1888, so all but Edward and Bessie would have been alive for this event. Thankfully, none of the family members have corresponding death dates. No matter what they were doing that day, they all survived. *whew*

Headstone of Eilert & Anna Heerten.
Springview, Nebraska

Enter the Brown family. I know them best, so I'm fairly confident I'm not going to find anything here, either.

Oscar F. Brown, veteran of the Civil War, homesteaded in Colfax County, Nebraska. There he married Frances Elizabeth Lawrence, originally from Ohio. Together, they lived in Nebraska until his death in 1906. After he passed, Frances followed her oldest son to Orting, Washington, where she resided for many years, finally living with daughter Carrie in nearby Tolt.

All of their children were born in Nebraska:

William, born 1876
Elizabeth (Bessie), born 1878
Sarah Alice, born 1880. Died February 1881.
Mortimer, born 1882
Carrie, born 1886
Warren, born 1892

William & Bessie Brown.
Richland, Nebraska.
Image: Private holdings of author.

The only child to die young was Sarah Alice, and she was not quite a year old at that time. Again, no one in the family appears to have suffered too greatly during this event. All but Warren would have lived through it.

Another of my Nebraska lines is the family of Charlotte "Lottie" Lee, whose memoirs I have transcribed and posted on this site. She certainly would have been affected, also, and because I have spent so much time on her recently, here is her family situation.

Cyrus Homer Lee and Mary Josephine Lawrence (sister to Frances, wife of Oscar, above) married 13 Aug 1872 in Columbus, Nebraska. Both transplants from Ohio, they ended up in Nebraska for very different reasons, and based on Lottie's memories of her parents, they lived a happy and fulfilling life; devoted to their religion. During the winter of 1888, they were on their land near Silver Creek in Merrick County, not too far from the Brown family in Colfax County. Cyrus ran the local store and served as post master for a time.

Their children include:

Charlotte, born 1873
Lawrence, born 1874
Bertha, born 1877
Florence, born 1879
Mortimer, born 1881
Lucy, born 1882
Elmer, born 1884
Roy, born 1886

Out of the group, Roy was the only child not born in Nebraska, he is a native son of Colorado. He grew only to be 15 years of age, but died in a drowning accident. Mortimer also died young, passing in July of 1881 at only 4 months. It would appear that the Lee's did well during the storm, also, and did not lose any immediate family.

Lottie does indicate that she and her siblings attended school regularly, as that was important to her parents. So I wonder how they managed to avoid getting trapped in the weather that day? Did Mary have a "sixth sense" as some stories describe in the book; feeling that the morning's warmth was too good to be true, and kept her children home?  Did their teacher shelter the children in the school, rather than send them home when the weather turned?

I suppose we'll never know, but it is certainly interesting to profile my ancestors with a historic event. I think I feel a series coming on...

I would love to hear where your folks were on 12 Jan 1888. Please feel free to comment, or share on your own blog. Just be sure to leave me a link!

1940 Census: Use the Hype to Talk to Your Family

Two days ago, I was pleased to learn about my grandfather and his parents, aunts and uncles using new clues provided through the 1940 Census. I did not know that Grandpa was a hired hand on a neighboring ranch in Nebraska as a young man, I did not know that Great-Grandpa and Grandma rented their ranch, rather than owning it outright. Interesting little tidbits for my research. Nothing that was overwhelmingly surprising, just new small facts that could lead me down different roads in the future.

Naturally, I sent a quick email to my Mom and her siblings outlining the basics of what I had found. I knew they would have heard about the census release through the news, but also knew that none of them would stop to look it up for themselves. I'm the family genealogist; that's my job, and one I enjoy.

This morning, I received a reply from one of my Aunt's, who lives in Alabama. She informed me for the first time that our cousins have a family Bible, that Grandpa also worked on his uncle's ranch at some point, and a few other little pieces that I had never heard before. How could I possibly have been doing this for over a decade and not known there was a family Bible out there?  Even more, it's about a two hour drive from my house to the cousins who own it. Oh, my.

Lesson learned. It had just never come up. I have talked to this side of the family before about our ancestry, but it was years ago. What can I learn if I bring up the conversation again, asking new questions?

So, use the census. Look up your images, find your folks. And then share. Tell your family what you are doing, what you are finding. See if it will open up new doors for you, too.

HAM Radio: Brings the Family Together

Mom, up on the radio tower. Oct, '67.

As a child, I have very distinct memories of my parents HAM radio equipment. Tucked away in a nook of the house, just off the kitchen, was the "HAM Shack". For the longest time, I had no idea why we called it that.

My parents used HAM radio every day as a young couple, when my Dad was at sea with the Navy, and Mom was home in Alabama. Not only did they talk to each other, they connected other couples in their same situation, passing messages back and forth.

My Mom gained her knowledge from her father, Louis Heerten. She is the oldest child in the family, and they certainly had a very strong bond. My father was able to connect with his new father-in-law by working on radio equipment together.

Today, my parents are retired. Dad has the radio equipment up and running again for the first time in a long time. Mom tends to stand over his shoulder and listen in, even when she's pretending she's not.

Tombstone Tuesday: Eilert & Anna Heerten

Eilert and Anna Heerten are buried in the Ainsworth Cemetery, Ainsworth, Brown County, Nebraska.

Eilert was born in Hanover, Germany, 21 Jan 1846 or 1847, and in 1869 he came to the United States as a stowaway on board the vessel "New York", which sailed out of Bremen. Son of Silas Heerten, who remained in Germany, we know that he had at least one brother remaining in that country at the time of his death in 1929.  Originally settling in Pettersburg, Illinois, he also lived in Woodford and Mason counties, and could be found in Illinois at least through 1890.  On 7 Dec 1874, he married Amke "Anna" Dirks Rademacher in Tazewell County, Illinois, the daughter of Dirk Harms Rademacher and Aaltje Frerichs Buhr. She was born 30 Oct 18 in Zwischenbergen, Hanover, Germany, and arrived through Baltimore on 28 Oct 1867. By 1868, the family had settled in Pettersburg, Illionis.

In the 1900 census, he was listed as a farmer in Keya Paha County, Nebraska, and that is where he remained. His descendants can now boast a long line of residency in that county.  He appears in Keya Paha County as early as 1885. Having moved to Nebraska with three children, they spent their first winter in a 12x14 sod house shared with two other families: the Olaf Nelson family and the Frank Dixon family. Over the course of the summer months, three frame houses were built, and each family claimed their homestead.

Well known in the community, and seemingly hard working farmers, the Heerten's were the first to purchase a steam engine and threshing machine in the area, from J.I. Case Company. They would eventually hire son John as a traveling repair man, and he gained quite a reputation as an unmarried good looking fellow. He did eventually marry at the age of 41 to Emma Anna Koehnken of Natrona, Illinois. On 18 April 1913, a dark grey horse was foaled and named "Patsy." This animal is listed in The National Register of French Draft Horses (#26156), and was owned by Eilert Heerten of Norden, Nebraska.

Eilert and Anna had seven children through their married life; John, Dick, Annie, Herman, Frank, Edward and Bessie, most of which remained in Nebraska. Ed was a veteran of WWI.

Eilert died in 1929 and Anna in 1928, her death coming after an extended illness. The family oral history tells us they had a good and happy marriage, and their children and grandchildren remembered them fondly.

They Are Out There... Just Waiting For Me: My Top 10

In just under 30 days, the 1940 US Census will be released, and there are so many of us just itching to get to it. Midnight on April 2 is a hefty deadline.

I started preparing for this major records release a few weeks ago, by gathering names, enumeration districts, dates and information from the 1930 census; all designed to aide in my search. Since the 1940 US Census will not be name indexed upon release, there is some basic information that is essentially required knowledge to get to what you want. Unless, of course, you are willing to spend countless hours scrolling page after page. I just don't have that kind of time.

The first person I am going to try to find is my father. I've never been able to find a still living member of my family in a census before, so it would be quite something to see his name listed. Since he was born in early June of 1940, he really shouldn't be there. Enumerators were supposed to record the family as it existed on April 1 of the year of the census. Which means, even if he knocked on my grandparents door on the first of July, technically, he should not have written down my father's name. We'll see. I have other records from 1920 and 1930 where the enumerator documented someone outside of the instructions. This of course means that Grandma Elsie and Grandpa Harley are persons #2 and #3 on my list. They'll be in Orting, Pierce County, Washington.

It's a strong potential that my great-uncle, who is also still alive, will be on the same page as my grandparents household. He's person #4 to find.

#5 Emma Brown, also a resident in the same town, and likely listed in the same household as my great-uncle.
#6 Charlotte Anderson (Andersson), mother of Emma, Orting, Washington.
#7 The Heerten's of Keya Paha County, Nebraska. They'll all be together. They always are.
#8 Mortimer J. Brown and wife Ethel in Lake County, Oregon. Mortimer died in 1941, so this would be a potential last known document on his life.
#9 Warren L Brown and wife Sousie, possibly on the Klamath Indian Reservation in Klamath, Oregon. After 1930, I lose track of them almost completely.
#10 Summit County, Colorado. I have been so engrossed in researching my new environment, I just can't leave them out. Family names that have absolutely zero biological connection to me (at least, not yet) and I am really anxious to find out who stayed in the area during the depression and who didn't. That era was tough on Summit County; after mining, before skiing. Many left.

I will say this. Don't try to communicate with me on April 2, 3 or 4... I'll be busy.

You can find resources and helpful tools on the 1940 US Census release here: http://the1940census.com/. The project is also seeking volunteers to help index, you can find that information on the above site, also.

Wordless Wednesday

The New York... mode of transport for Eilert Heerten. 

First of the family to come to the U.S. from Germany and a stowaway!