Heirlooms 2024 52 Ancestors in a Year

Heirlooms are items that are handed down from generation to generation.  Some heirlooms are items that our ancestors may have used.

Our family heirlooms include tools used in the industry of agriculture.  Some could still be used today.  My husband mounted our collection on a board and hung it in alcove by our front door.  

#1 Scythe—used for cutting grass, hay or grain by hand

#2 corn planter-used for planting by hand

#3 Hames-used in horse collars for work horses

#4 Loose Hay cutter-loose hay stacks was a common way to store hay & divide hay between the landlord and farmer

#5  Railroad spike puller

#6 Draw knife-to trim wood or lumber

#7  Trowel-used with concrete to smooth it out

#8  Hand drill-used in carpentry

#9  Potato fork-used to dig potatoes

#10  Wrench-pipe wrench

#11 Sugar beet fork-used to lift sugar beets from the ground to the truck when harvesting by hand

#12 Hay saw-to cut loose hay or even hay in bales

#13 Ice saw-used to cut ice blocks from frozen lakes or river for refrigeration 

Branding irons were used on horses or cattle and were heated by a wood fire.  In modern days they might be heated with propane.

The Diamond X brand was recorded in 1884 in Montana by my husband’s great Grandfather.  It is still used today.  

The S Bar brand is my brand and still used today. It was a gift from my father. 

 

2024 Immigration 52 Ancestors in a Year

 One of the goals of any genealogist is to track the ancestors across the pond to the United States.  There are several websites with passenger lists to help.  Sometimes it is very hard to identify one’s ancestors due to name spellings and name changes.  Very seldom is the port of departure known which makes the search difficult.  

In the Gabel family I believe I have correctly identified my husband's great grandparents on their arrival in the United States, on 10 June 1907.  The passengers were Heinrich (Heinrich Phillip) Gebel, age 41, Mary, (Katherina Margaret)  age 39, Philip, (Heinrich August) age 5, Catherine, (Molly) age 3 and Anna, 11 months.  Anna’s name has a line drawn through it.  The ship, SS Arconia left Libau (Libau, the German name for Liepāja, Latvia) on 20 May 1907.  Heinrich Phillip stated that they were going to his brother’s; Henry Gebel at 925 S. W, in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Crowding in from Europe --- Ten Steamers Bring 2,003 Cabin and 7,323 Steerage Passengers

The Russian East Asiatic line's steamship, Arconia, arrived last evening from Libau and Rotterdam.  She brought five cabin and 1,124 steerage passengers and some general cargo.  She will dock at Beard's stores, but there is a long list of ship ahead of her before her passenger can be landed.  Ten passenger steamers arrived yesterday and Saturday:.......(newspaper clipping from The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York) 10 June 1907, page 7, Column 3.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Main Office; Corner of Washington and Johnson Streets., Brooklyn.  Telephone call (for main office and all Brooklyn branches), No. 6200 Main

(Newspapers.com)  viewed 24 April 2017

On 13 May 1907, the passenger ship, SS Noskwa set sail from Libau and arrived in New York on 31 May 1907.  On board was August Gebel, age 26, his wife Catherina, age 23 and Anna, 11 months, and a line was drawn through her name.  They were going to Heinrich Gebel, 925 S. W., Lincoln, Nebraska.

Heinrich Phillip & August are both going to their brother, Heinrich or Henry Gebel at the same address in Lincoln, Nebraska.  Research has proven that Phillip & August are brothers.  And they had a brother Henry.  

But Anna??  Who is she?  And why is her name crossed out on the passenger list?  Research at Ellis Island indicated she was never on a ship.  What happened to her in Lativa?  Was Anna sick at first sailing and her uncle agreed to take her 7 days later?   Did she pass away in Latvia?  Is there a grave?  Is there a death record?

Many questions but doubtful if the answers to Anna will ever be discovered.

Earning a Living 2024 52 Ancestors in a Year

Earning a living in agriculture has always been tough, sometimes mostly just subsistence life.  Many of my ancestors were involved in Agriculture. There were farmers who left Missouri to travel the Oregon Trail to find more land in Oregon to farm, ancestors who farmed as well as having a meat market, and there were homesteading ancestors too.  

My father, Don Shaffner, was raised on a ranch in Beaverhead County, Montana.  His father was a homesteader but earned a living by working on a telegrapher for railroad.  During the dirty ’30’s, my grandfather had to move his family & rent a farm near Dillon but he always had a job on the Union Pacific Railroad to keep food on the table.  When he couldn’t pay the rent on the land, the family moved back to the dryland farm.  Dad can remember him arriving at the farm after a day of working in town, and the car would barely slow down but Grandpa would have his foot out the door ready to leap out and begin work on the farm.  But he did what he had to do to earn a living.

Dad always wanted to ranch.  His older brother stayed home during World War II to help their father on the ranch.   Dad joined the National Guard during college to provide extra money.  His unit was activated during World War II.   During military service, Dad returned home for a visit and realized that he wouldn’t be able to ranch with his dad and brother.  But the G.I. Bill would provide an education to become a veterinarian.  And still remain in agriculture in his beloved Beaverhead County.

Don Shaffner 

looking over his ranch and cows

After practicing veterinary medicine in Beaverhead county for over 10 years, he was able to purchase a ranch from his brother.  It wasn’t large but he had achieved a goal, buying Hereford cows and a brand; he was in business.  Thus his spare time from the veterinary hospital was spent working cattle; his love.  With the ranch he involved his wife and his daughters.  His daughters learned the value of hard work, love of the land and agriculture.  

Trailing the cattle to summer pasture

Learning earning a living!